It’s just simply impossible to buy every whisky. I regularly pass on something that I’m pretty sure will be awesome, but simply don’t feel like spending money on at that time. Instead, I try to get my hands on a sample.
So when I’m rambling through my sample drawer, it often turns into a trip down memory lane. I always had good reason to buy a certain sample, but in some cases I simply bought them out of curiosity, not having much of an expectation quality-wise. These are the ones that often sit around the longest.
That doesn’t explain why only now I’ve come to taste this Bunnahabhain 1987 26 Years from Berry Bros & Rudd. Quite affordable at the time, it matured in a sherry butt and I remember really wanting to buy a bottle before common sense took over. So damn you common sense, because this is one helluva whisky. At least I had a sample.
Bunnahabhain 1987 26 Years (49.8%, Berry Bros & Rudd, C#2462)
Nose: Subtle vanilla with some cherry notes and orange zest sprinkled on top, but overall rather focused on stone fruits like mango, peach and mostly nectarine. Slightly waxy too. Also, honey. Really good!
Taste: Creamy, waxy stuff with loads of fruitiness, similar to the nose, but with a few citrus fruits thrown in. Subtle tannins go hand in hand with honey and vanilla.
Finish: A hint of menthol and tobacco, slightly dry. Medium in length.
Score: 91
The oak tannins are kept in check by the waxiness and fruits. The quality is undeniable—great whisky that’s bottled at its peak.
Photo: Whiskybase
