Bunnahabhain 1991 (Lockett Bros)

Lockett Bros already impressed us with their Springbank 1993 and Arran 1996 selections, so I was keen to try this third sample of a Bunnahabhain 1991. It comes from a sherry hogshead but the colour isn’t as dark as you may expect – maybe it was finished?

Bunnahabhain 23 yo 1991 ‘The Island of Bass’ (49,3%, Morrison & MacKay for Lockett Bros 2015, sherry hogshead #5420)

Nose: a fresh and fruity style, with stewed apples, oranges, honey and lots of golden raisins. Hints of peaches and vanilla. Quite jammy. Creamy chocolate and soft spices as well.

Mouth: plenty of fruit cake, jams, red berries and baked apple. Hints of marshmallows. Some leather, mint liqueur, ginger syrup and whiffs of coconut. Delicate herbs, but always with an impressive freshness. Rather modern (oak-driven) and not at all typical, but I love it.

Finish: medium long, with lingering fruits and herbs and a minty aftertaste.

I found really nice touches in this Bunna that are neither typical for the distillery, nor for an (Oloroso?) cask. I think there’s actually a good dose of American oak involved, which makes the end result really interesting. Around € 125, directly from Lockett Bros.

Score: 88/100