Bunnahabhain 1998 Manzanilla Cask Finish Fèis Ìle 2023 / 52.3% / 0.7l

Throughout the 20th century, Bunnahabhain Distillery produced almost exclusively for the blended whisky sector, and until 2005 its single malt offering only included a 12 year old version.

Just two years earlier, Burn Stewart Distillers acquired Bunnahabhain from the Edrington Group, and by 2017 the distillery’s portfolio included almost 20 expressions (including limited editions) and annual sales of the brand exceeded 420,000 bottles (now over half a million). Distilled on 28 October 1998 and originally matured in American oak casks, this whisky was added to fresh Manzanilla sherry casks on 25 May 2016. It was bottled at cask strength (52.3% abv), natural colour and unchill-filtered for the 2023 Fèis Ìle.

Nose : sea breeze, dry rose petals, apples, pears, grapefruit, vanilla, almond croissant, salted peanuts, polished oak and a pinch of white pepper.

Palate : seaweed salad, salted nuts and almonds, raisins, dates, dried plums, vanilla, white pepper, cinnamon, hints of licorice and fennel, oak and a breath of sea breeze.

Finish : quite long, with notes of sea salt, white pepper, lemon peel, apples, pears, salted caramel, milk chocolate and oak.