Bunnahabhain 1974 The Perfect Dram 34 yo

 

 

 

59,3°

Distillery : Bunnahabhain - Islay 

Oloroso Sherry Cask

Independent Bottling 

By The Whisky Agency 

Limited Edition 

Single Cask 

Bottled in 2008

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Almost Unpeated

 

 

 

This little gem is one of three in a series of Bunnahabhains distilled in the 1970s and bottled in 2008 by The Whisky Agency. Each one is dominated by a different type of sherry, this one being Oloroso, which in my opinion has more body and is more characterised by leathery aromas. Exactly 300 bottles were produced, so it would appear to be a Single Cask, as confirmed by Ruben, author of the impeccable WhiskyNotes blog, although this is not stated on the bottle.

Lett's Taste It : 

Very deep, dark sherry, oily, sticky, on varnished wood, very old, raspberry juice macerated in earth, with lychees, lingonberry jam. Balsamic vinegar, currants, old leather kneaded in slush, dark chocolate, a hint of smoke, a curl of iodine, sticky fat, Old Plum, fermented gooseberries, blueberries.
The palate is both very sweet and slightly acidic, with wild strawberries, followed by mouth-watering spices, nutmeg, paprika, cider and biscuit with hazelnut and chocolate chips, coffee grounds. Sublimely well-balanced, with an extremely long finish of tinder, heather, ferns, almonds and red fruits.

 

In Short, 

This is what I call a killer. Very marked by red fruits, but also very dark, it seemed to me, with fat, cider, a lot of very original elements that I hadn't sensed elsewhere, because of its intensity and complexity. Today it's completely sold out, and you'd need a private detective to find a bottle, but at the time of its release it was certainly a bargain despite its high price.

Score : 92

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                           To Be Listened While Sipping :

                                           Cabaret Voltaire - Crackdown