Scotch Whisky Review #247: The Ultimate Whisky Company Bunnahabhain 11 Year First Fill Sherry (2009)
Image Credit: The Rare Malt
Distillery: Bunnahabhain
Bottler: van Wees
Region: Islay
Age: 11 Year. Distilled March 17, 2009. Bottled April 17, 2020.
ABV: 67.00% Cask Strength.
Cask Type: First Fill Sherry Butt
Cask Number: 900073
Color: 1.6, Mahogany/Henna Notes.
Nose: (according to the wife) It smells like a caffe latte! There’s coffee candies and some really bitter dark chocolate as well.
Palate: It’s near undrinkable at full strength, it really cries out for it. With water though, it calms down nicely. The first note out of the gate is a really good shot of espresso. It’s rich, earthy, with an almost slightly creamy element. Bitter dark chocolate comes through with some vanilla. All of it reminds me of Kopiko cappucino candies.
Finish: Long. Chocolate, but of the creamy milk type. The coffee candies pop in as well. There is an astringent note, that isn’t particularly pleasant. With more water, it lessens but never quite goes away.
Conclusion: If you like coffee with a bit of cream, this whisky is definitely for you. All of the lovely warmth, earthiness, creaminess of a morning trip to the coffee shop gets wrapped up in this whisky. The coffee is present from start to finish. There’s some chocolate that pops in here and there as well as some creamier notes to balance things out. It’s a fantastic bunch of flavors quite tasty. My nitpick with this is entirely with this unpleasant, bitter aftertaste that I couldn’t ever seem to shake. It snaps you out of enjoying the rest of it. So close to greatness, but no cigar.
Final Score: 81.
Scotch Whisky Review #247, Islay Review #32, Whisky Network Review #378
Scoring Legend:
- 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
- 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
- 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
- 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
- 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
- 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
- 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
- Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.
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