Bunnahabhain 1988 Scott’s Selection

Review by: Raygun

I don’t know much about Scott’s Selection, which appears to have ceased operations in 2012. It was run by Robert Scott from Speyside Distillers, who I guess picked these casks in addition to his day job. This is a bit of a dusty, having been bottled in 2004.

Distillery: Bunnahabhain 

Bottler: Scott’s Selection

Region/style: Islay single malt Scotch

ABV: 53.8%

Age: 15-16 years. Distilled in 1998, bottled in 2004. 

Cask type: Unknown

Color: 0.8 deep gold. Natural color. Non-chill-filtered.

Nose: A little musty leather, like an old jacket. Malt, milk chocolate, raisins, and baked apples. Smells old. Tamarind, a little pasilla chile. 

Palate: Malt forward. Subtle chocolate, cream, orange zest, raisins, apples, and caramel. There’s a nice spice flavor as well; reminds me of Ethiopian berbere a little. Tamarind chutney. Quite tannic, though not otherwise strongly oaky. 

Finish: A little beef broth richness comes out. Caramel, raisins, some mole. Not as sweet as the palate; more umami. Along with a nice bit of tartness. Tannic here too. The chocolate and spice are great.   

Conclusion: Took me a while to get a handle on this one. Never had a Bunna so austere. Tastes older than it is. Has to be a refill sherry cask, I believe. The cask influence is pretty mild in any case. Well rounded, with nice malt, fruity, and spice flavor. That touch of meaty richness. The finish is the real star. Not something that grabs your attention immediately, but there’s a lot here. It rewards close examination, and dialing in the right amount of water, which makes a big difference with this particular bottle. 

Buy again? Unlikely to find one.  

Score: 89

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)

Published by Raygun

I drank Scotch occasionally (mostly at family gatherings) for years, but started getting more interested after an introduction and tasting from a Scottish acquaintance. That led to buying my first bottle (Highland Park 12). Now 600+ spirits later, Scotch is still my first love, but I drink other whisky and dabble in brandy as well.

Leave a comment