Anyway we digress, at the time of writing all we could determine regarding cask type was that sherry casks featured prominently. Worth noting for those that love sherry that from the taste and colour these were refill sherry casks. Our Service is an online platform which provides Members with information (e.g. bottle facts, market-indices, market values and prices) on (mostly) whisky and allows Members to add information to the platform. We do not sell, nor does the Service provide any option to buy, any alcoholic products. I find myself enjoying this 2023 release just as much as last year’s more sherried release, but – importantly – for different reasons. This is not a repeat of the 2022. I repeat: this is not the 2022, so if you are expecting that with this, you may be either surprised or disappointed, or both. That the distillery has decided to make the 12 year old cask strength release explicitly batch variable means that we now have three very distinct drams across three years that showcase different aspects of the spirit.

In time, the owners invested in a substantial pier which stands to this day, but I discovered that my intuition that building on Islay would’ve been difficult was proven for Bunnahabhain during its construction. Deep into the first building period in an Islay winter, two large boilers were blown off the beach while they were waiting to be fitted. Why build on such a remote part of a small island you ask? Well it seems the decision to build here was not least on account of Robertson & Baxter's close relationship with Bulloch Lade & Company, who were rebuilding Caol Ila at the time, and also because of the plentiful water from Loch Staoisha ( which could also be used to cool the condensers) and the previously mentioned access by sea. This year's release has an ABV of 60.1%, compared with 56.6% in the 2022 release and 55.1% in 2021, and it is bottled non-chill filtered. Unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise, your use of and membership to the Service are exclusively governed by Dutch law. We shall first try to settle any dispute over a dram of whisky. Disputes that cannot be settled over multiple drams of whisky shall be solely submitted to the court of Amsterdam, The Netherlands unless mandatory applicable law provides otherwise. Driving around to different parts of the island also revealed its very different landscapes. The relatively flat (for Scotland) moorland between Bowmore and Port Ellen felt calm to the more blustery Bruichladdich on the far side of Loch Indaal. The slightly more wooded south coast had a more bucolic sense than the remote feel of the ancient historical seat of the Lords of the Isles at Finlaggan. No partnership, joint venture, agency, or employment relationship is created as a result of your use of the Service.But there’s batch variation for sure, and that’s what, many of you dear Dramface readers, may be more interested in. How does this compare to last year’s 2022 sherry belter, or 2021’s first release? There are lots of spheres of life where this approach pays off: sharing the road with lunatic drivers, my mother-in-law’s cooking, or the perpetually scatter-brained friend who can never manage to make a night out even after suggesting it himself. Yet, these are expectations I have of others, not expectations I hold for myself. This distinction is key to how expectations in whisky continue to raise us up, befuddle us, and sometimes come crashing down on our earnestly eager heads. You are responsible for all activities through your account. You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you provide to us in relation to your account, and for updating it where necessary. You are not allowed to create multiple accounts. We may terminate or temporarily suspend your account to protect you, ourselves or our partners from (suspected) identity theft or other (suspected) fraudulent (e.g. false, misleading, deceptive) activity. You have the obligation to keep your login credentials confidential. You shall not authorize any others to use or access your account.

The name Bunnahabhain (pronounced 'Bunn-na-ha-ven’), translates as ‘foot of the river’. The distillery is located within the small Islay village of the same name. Founded in 1881, the village was built to house the workers of the distillery. Construction began in January 1883, at the dawn of the ‘whisky boom’ (sound familiar?) following Scotch whisky’s unprecedented growth in popularity within the British Empire. Bunnahabhain is a robust and complex spirit, unpeated and oily but with sweet notes of dried fruits and cereal, and it means that the spirit can really take on the big flavour profiles that come from the full maturation in the sherry casks.” The 2022 12 Years Old Cask Strength release has been matured in first- and second-fill oloroso sherry casks – as was the first 12 Years Old Cask Strength release in 2021 – which the distillery says impart notes of "intense dried fruits and warm cinnamon spice". The new expression is bottled at 56.6% ABV. If any provision of these Terms is held invalid, the remainder of the Terms shall continue in full force and effect.

On the palate we’re getting blood orange juice, tobacco, orange peel, walnuts, and notes of sherry soaked raisins. Nose (with water) Without prejudice to the section Liability below, the Service may be temporarily unavailable during maintenance, updates, etc. We shall make reasonable efforts to inform you of any unavailability due to maintenance or updates. If we decide not to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms, such decision shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Interested in trying drams like these? We've created the Two Whisky Bros Dram Club to help you get access to high quality, rare whisky by the dram. Another single review today, but it’s another biggie as we look at a huge release from Bunnahabhain.