25/12/2025 Bunnahabhain

Bunnahabhain 43yo 1968/2012 (47%, The Whisky Agency, Refill Sherry Butt, 498b): nose: we have an enticing custard and baked fruits (peaches, apples), then a gentle flowery fragrance (honeysuckle, forsythia, and tagetes). It has something almost metallic, perhaps, the secateur used to prune the afore-mentioned plants more than razor blades. With a bit of breathing, it offers more and more fruits, starting with additional peaches (tinned, now) and touching persimmon and mint, before landing next to alphonso mangoes. The second nose seems even fruitier: tinned peaches, baked peaches, baked apricots. Next to those are passiflora. Mouth: urgh, it is very soapy, unfortunately. A sample gone off, without a doubt. One can guess that it used to be a fruity number, but it is now difficult to enjoy that, due to the litre of shampoo that floats in the way. Chewing stirs some custard and increases the spices, namely white pepper and ground cardamom. Is it really worth the trouble, when the whole is so clearly spoiled? The second sip (we might as well suffer until the bitter end -- for science, you know?) is like chewing on vine and plant stems, very bitter, shampoo-y. Finish: wood and fruit come out on top, which is good(ish) news. It has dried galangal slices, ginger shavings and dried apricot slices, even mango slices. The finish too, however, is mired with shampoo. The second gulp has more ginger, it seems, as well as cinnamon and ground cloves. What a pity! It almost convinces, but all that shampoo on the palate is a turn-off. 6/10 (Thanks for the sample, OB)