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Limited Edition Bunnahabhain 30yo in SA
Three expressions of Bunnahabhain, known for its lightly peated whiskies, are currently available in South Africa: the 12,18 and 25yo. More accurately, three expressions used to be available until a press release announcing a fourth was circulated this week with news of a very limited edition: Bunnahabhain 30yo 1980 Vintage.
This 30yo, originally released in October 2010, is limited to 357 bottles worldwide, of which 17 are now available in SA. The release does not say which retailers will stock the bottles but if you’re a local whisky enthusiast you can probably guess, or at least narrow it down to two. (I’ve sent an email enquiring, will post an update if/when response received.)
The expression is bottled at a cask strength of 45.4% (lower than I would expect), is unchillfiltered, free of caramel colouring, and is the result of spending its life maturing in two ex-sherry hogshead casks laid down in 1980. As per most limited editions and older expressions, the packaging is beautiful, although just slightly over the top, with the bottle being presented in an un-dyed, pinkish leather case which includes a pewter quaich and glass tube containing a scroll of authenticity detailing the release. All lovely extras, but make no mistake you are paying for them. The expected price of the bottle is R3800 (≈ £342) and inline with the international price. (Nice to see we aren’t getting ripped off… any more than anyone else that is.) For a 30yo it is expensive, but this is clearly due to a combination of both it’s age and limited quantity.
It’s great that this will be available in SA and kudos to Distell for bring it in, but I have no intention of buying a bottle. Full press release available on Whisky Intelligence if you enjoy reading marketing speak.
Official tasting notes from Ian MacMillan, Bunnahabhain’s master distiller:
Nose: Holds a rich, aromatic nose with a sophisticated balance of oak, gingerbread, moist fruit cake, prunes, old leather, roasted nuts and a hint of sea air.
Palette: Opens up to produce a creamy, silky taste with sweet oak, liquorice and nutmeg intertwined with citrus, vanilla, eucalyptus and a hint of coconut.
Finish: Long and elegant with flavours of digestive biscuits, soft vanilla, a tinge of ginger and sea salt coating your mouth.
A 30yo for My 30th
In less than two weeks time I turn 30 years old. I’m not particularly worried about my age; some people will always think you’re too young, and others will always look as you as old, and I couldn’t be bothered with what others think of such a pointless measure. Personally, I’m comfortable with where I am in my life and my achievements thus far, sure I’m not where I dreamed I would be when I was 20, but as you age the one unavoidable lesson is that dreams and reality are two separate worlds. There is only one milestone that I regret not wrapping up before my coming birthday, alas though it isn’t yet to be but it’s still no reason not to celebrate.
A special occasion calls for a special dram, but due to the meagre selection available in SA and the often exorbitant prices for older whiskies, it was a sure thing the bottle was to be ordered online. The only whisky I considered buying locally was the Highland Park 30yo which is available in duty-free for R2500 (≈ £225), but as good as I’m sure it is I decided to get something more unusual, limited, and reasonably priced. After some browsing and suggestions from fellow bloggers and Twitter friends I settled on the recently released Caol Ila 30yo in Jim McEwan’s Celtic Heartlands range available on Master of Malt, matured in ex-bourbon and finished in ex-Amarone casks (an Italian dry red wine).
Why this one? Firstly the presentation far exceeds all whiskies I’ve purchased so far. The sturdy, black leather case with silver lettering and insignia securely holds an elegant yet simple glass decanter. Of course presentation only counts for so much, but since this is to commemorate an occasion it will be nice to have such a beautiful bottle on the whisky cabinet to admire over the coming years. Secondly, I have a fondness for Caol Ila and have never tried a 30yo release, plus it’s bottled at cask strength (51.9%) and limited to 1,017 bottles. Lastly, and the largest contributing factor for my decision, is that the whisky was selected by Jim McEwan, who I personally consider a whisky demigod and trust to have bottled a superb dram.
I asked Serge Valentin over Twitter if he had tried it, and although he hadn’t he did say the previous Celtic Heartlands releases were “brilliant”. Turning 30 is often an event not looked forward to, but with a new baby like this to open, how could I not count down the days?!
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Tasting notes coming soon…
