Review by: Raygun

A single cask release of 285 bottles. Released by The Whisky Barrel to celebrate the Artemis I launch. Had a fair number of Bunnas, but not many (none?) entirely bourbon cask. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 10 minutes.

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Distillery: Bunnahabhain

Bottler: The Whisky Barrel

Region: Islay

ABV: 54.8%. Cask strength

Age: 30 years. Distilled in 1990. Bottled in 2021.

Cask type: Hogshead, TWB 1025

Price: ??

Color: 0.9 amontillado. Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Fruity, with some Bunna salinity coming through. Apples, apricots, and graham crackers.

Palate: Fruit again, with more pastry richness. Pound cake with a lemon glaze. Apples, apricots, and oranges. Old furniture. Definitely has that “old” flavor.

Finish: Apples, cake, apricots and cream. Some salted butterscotch. Old, but not excessively oaky. Pretty vibrant considering the age.

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Conclusion:

Great old Bunna. Would not have expected this kind of fruitiness. I might have guessed it was Arran blind. Bunna does great in sherry, but this shows it can excel in bourbon, too. Got that old woody flavor while maintaining the fruity character, and that touch of salinity takes it over the top. I wasn’t so impressed right away, but the more time I spent with it, the better it got. 

Buy a bottle? A little out of my range.

Final Score: 88.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
• 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)