Scotch Whisky Review #499: Bunnahabhain 43 Year (1975) Signatory Vintage 30th Anniversary

Distillery: Bunnahabhain.

Bottler: Signatory Vintage.

Region: Islay.

Age: 43 Year. Distilled on January 29th, 1975 and bottled on September 7th, 2018.

ABV: 51.8%.

Cask Type: Refill Sherry Cask.

Cask Number 1267.

Price: Sample courtesy of /u/_asipper.

Color: 1.8, Old Oak.

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Nose: There’s loads and loads of umami with it smelling a lot much like an old, aged soy sauce. It’s funky, savory, punchy, and delicious. There’s also some more earthy notes which have me thinking of a mushroom duxelles like you would find in a beef wellington. There’s something nutty, perhaps ground almonds, along with a load of the sherry coming through nice and richly. Something fruity as well shows up in the form of Fig Newton fig filling.

Palate: At full strength, it is surprisingly perfume-y and floral. It is very reminiscent of the some of the fragrances the wife likes. Some water lowers the level of the floral notes considerably, which is a certain relief. It instead becomes quite rich and luscious. The mushroom duxelles note from the nose returns with a vengance. It’s served alongside other savory pâtés, perhaps some foie gras and truffle. You get earthy, you get savory, you get umami, you get salty from it all. There’s some fruity in a dark, jammy kind of way. Blackberry pie filling or blackcurrant preserves are what come to mind. Some of the sherry comes out as well along with some older woody notes.

Finish: Medium in length. Old sherry. Menthol. Blackcurrant compote. More of the mushroom duxelles. Fire roasted chestnuts.

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Conclusion: I’ve had a few samples from Signatory Vintage’s 30th Anniversary collection sitting for a bit and I figured there was no time like the present to go through some of them. This one is a extremely well aged Bunnahabhain and oh boy is it fantastic. The nose is intoxicating with perhaps the amazing combination of funky, savory, earthy, nutty, and bit of fruit. The palate has a bit of a startling floral note that throws me for a bit of a loop but a bit of water sends that to the background and leaves behind a very delicious, rich, and luxurious meal. The finish is a fantastic wrap up of the dram with some of the sherry, some of the earthiness, and a bit of something new. Jaw-dropping indeed.

Rating: 95.

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Scotch Whisky Review #499, Islay Review #83, Whisky Network Review #664

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.