Bunnahabhain 25 Year Review
In-Depth Review
When I first started traveling to Japan, I often went in thinking I was going to find great Japanese whisky to bring back in my luggage. And while that has sometimes been true, what I often find is that I return home with everything but Japanese whisky. I have found some of my greatest deals and best bottles by looking beyond the Japanese section and into things like scotch and American whiskies. Things like Evan Williams 12, Wild Turkey 12, and the latest Roseisle releases have all been incredible finds for significantly cheaper than I could ever get them back home.
Take this Bunnahabhain 25 year. It’s never been on my list as a bottle I needed in my collection, not had I ever even had it prior to my latest trip to Osaka. While casually perusing the BIC Camera liquor selection (yes, it’s an electronic store that sells liquor), I stumbled upon this beauty sitting in the glass case. And while I fully expected the yen conversation to equate to around its US $600 MSRP, I was shocked to find that they had it listed for only $285. Sold. I quickly picked up the bottle and never looked back. Regret never hit me – even while I struggled to find way to make room for its ornate box in my carry on suitcase.
Bunnahabhain is one of the few distilleries on Islay not known for peated whisky. Located on the north of Islay, Bunnahabhain maintains a strong core range of whiskies from 12 to 40 years old that lean more heavily into maritime flavors than the typical smokiness often associated with Islay. This 25 year old comes in updated packaging (which is ridiculous and includes special locking mechanisms) and specs that whisky enthusiasts will crave. It remains non-chill filtered, uses no added coloring, and comes in at 46.3% ABV. It uses an undisclosed mixture of casks but leans heavy into sherry. It’s high MSRP will turn off many, but perhaps you can also find this for less than $300, so let’s dive in and see how it stacks up.
Age: 25 Years
ABV: 46.3%
Cask: Various casks including sherry
MSRP: Around $600
Distillery Name: Bunnahabhain Distillery
Review Date: 5/29/25
Color: Gingerbread
Nose: The nose begins with soft and gentle waves of dark cocoa, roasted almond biscuits, and honey. After about 10-15 minutes of settling, more sherry influence pokes through with dried figs, black tea, malt funk, and cherry cordial. This is a relatively reserved and mellow nose that can struggle at times to pop out from the glass – the years in oak clearly softening the edges to what can sometimes be a fiery distillate at younger ages. The longer it rests in the glass, the better this nose gets.
Palate: On first sip, a heavy sherry influence bursts to the forefront, full of dried fruits, warm bread, creamy caramel, and more almond biscuit mixed with ginger chews. Notes of old oak furniture and well-worn leather provide an excellent undercurrent throughout. The oak is subtle but softens some of the bursting fruit notes. The mouthfeel is lovely and waxy upfront but then falls off in the midpalate, losing steam quickly before the finish.
Finish: Medium length finish with spiced nuts, chai tea, powdered cocoa that gives off Mexican chili hot chocolate vibes. The finish recovers well from the disappointing midpalate and provides a lingering warmth that lasts well between sips.
Final Thoughts: Opening an older whisky like Bunnahabhain 25 year, is a different kind of experience than your typical daily sipper. It doesn’t ask a lot from you. But does take some time to get going. It rewards patience with subtly and nuance rather than power and style. All the brash, fiery malt character that can be found right off the still is mellowed by 25 years in oak, leaving Bunnahabhain 25 to be filled with lovely sherry notes that are perfectly balanced with a strong undercurrent of old oak. Unfortunately, sometimes these older whiskies can become so mellow that they can lose some of their definition – and this is also true here. The flavors are all found upfront, where the midpalate can feel almost non-existent, before the warming spice of the finish comes in to save the day. And while this feels like a big complaint, it doesn’t detract from the overall experience – which remains fantastic. I’m just very glad I didn’t pay full MSRP for this.
