This 32 year-old Bunna was matured in fino sherry casks. Fino is the lighter, fresher and usually bone-dry type of Jerez wine (think of the Tio Pepe brand). In contrast to the Oloroso or Amontillado sherry, fino develops under a layer of flor, a type of yeast that prevents it from oxydizing and adds a sauvory, slightly bitter tang to the wine.

It’s very rare to find fino-matured Bunnahabhain bottlings. I know of one other 1976 release in the Murray McDavid Mission series last year (probably a sister cask?)

Bunnahabhain 32y 1976 (55,7%, The Whisky Agency 2008, Shark series, 300 btl.)

Nose: dry-sweet. Nicely floral and fruity. Guava, apple, tangerine. Some notes of wax. Pollen. Fresh sea breeze. Not extremely expressive, but still rather complex and delicate. Mouth: medium-sweet attack, starting on fruit (oranges), with some spices (cloves). Walnuts. After a while, getting drier with notes of tonic and even aspirine. Not entirely balanced, I would say. Grapefruit and more oak.

Good whisky, but the bitterness prevents it from being a real winner. Around € 150.

Score: 85/100