Bunnahabhain 12 Year Review
In-Depth Review
Bunnahabhain (pronounced boo-na-ha-ven) is the poster child for Scottish distilleries no one can accurately pronounce. It’s spelled nothing like it sounds, it has no direct correlation with any words in the English language, and it’s a relatively unknown distillery that many casual whisky drinkers have never even heard of. In other words, it’s the perfect storm for hilariously bad mispronunciations.
Even though its located on the island of Islay, Bunnahabhain is unusual because of their focus on creating non-peated whiskies – putting them more in competition with Speyside and other whisky regions than traditional Islay powerhouses. Most of the distillate produced on the grounds goes into big blends like Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark but some of it is saved for their own releases. And once you get the pronunciation (and the spelling) down, Bunnahabhain can reward even the most hardened drinkers with its wide array special bottlings, age stated core lineup, and experimental cask finishes.
Today I am going to dive into their 12-year whisky that boasts a great ABV of 46.3% and non-chill filtration. This is my first time experiencing Bunnahabhain so let’s strap in and see what this non-peated Islay has to offer.
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 46.3%
Cask: Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry casks
MSRP: $55
Distillery Name: Bunnahabhain Distillery
Review Date: 7/26/21
Color: Gold
Nose: Bunnahabhain 12 starts off with a rather complex nose of rich floral notes of jasmine and white flowers. As you push in more there is lovely notes of honey, oak, and cream that blends well with a citrus brightness brought on by lemon peel and orange rind. As the whisky settles in the glass, more salt and brine show up – but provides a nice and subtle counter to the sweetness of the honey and flowers. A touch of wet hay and pepper remind you that there is still a little bit of youth present at 12 years old.
Palate: Similar to the nose, Bunnahabhain 12 unleashes a deluge of interesting flavors right off the bat. It’s bright, rich, and filled with flavors of milk chocolate, honeysuckle, melon, and summer fruits. It maintains an oily, rich, and creamy mouthfeel that benefits from its 46.3% ABV and non-chill filtration. On the front of the palate, it’s got a great body, good sweetness, and a touch of earthy minerality. As it moves to the back of the palate the spice gets turned up with layers of cardamon, cinnamon and clove. The sea air influence comes through with a bit of brine and the faintest whiff of smoke. The smoke mixes with the chocolate and orange notes to create a smoked orange chocolate candy flavor that I would like to petition more chocolatiers to try and replicate.
Finish: Medium length finish with the spice from the back of the palate rolling into the finish – creating the perfect level of heat that is both rewarding and refreshing. The flavors move away from melons and tropical to more red fruits and baking spices. There’s a touch of ash and brine on the finish as well, like someone used sea water to put out a fire.
Final Thoughts: Bunnahabhain 12 may be the most interesting Scotch I’ve had recently. It’s nuanced and complex character left me deeply curious to learn more about the entire Bunnahabhain line (18-year anyone?). It features an alluring nose, a complex palate filled with chocolate orange goodness, and a rewarding finish that pushes you to keep on drinking. Bunnahabhain 12 is the kind of whisky that pushes you as a drinker to uncover more about your palate and begs you to keep exploring with every new sip. At under $60, this is a great value for a whisky that punches above its “entry level” market placement.
