Review #552 - Bunnahabhain 18 Year
Bunnahabhain's 18 Year Old single malt - an (essentially) unpeated Islay whisky, which spends its life maturing in sherry casks. We don't actually know what sort of sherry casks are used, but it's a good bet that at least some of the makeup is Oloroso, as that's the most common type of sherry cask used in Scotch whisky aging.
This whisky is sometimes known to be inconsistent from batch to batch; we're happy to embrace that, as long as the presentation remains natural. That's the case here: 46.3% ABV, no added coloring, and no use of the chill filtration process.
Bunnahabhain 18 Year
Scotland/Islay - Single Malt
Price: USD 210 (2025)
Age Statement: 18 Years
Strength: 46.3% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-sherry casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 8 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Rich dark fruits - acidic prunes, figs, raisin, plum. There's a sweet, dark, polished oak note behind that - lightly perfumed oak, showing the age. Chocolatey malt comes forward with time, and we get a couple more fruits: orange, blackberry.
Palate: A medium thickness mouthfeel, though there's a nice oily or silky texture from the oak influence. A dark complexion, and fruits are again the focus: grape, blackberry, raisin, sugary cranberry sauce, some plum. Subtle perfume mixes with oranges and spiced tea; it leans sweet, and there's nice complexity here.
Finish: Oak grows in strength - polished oak, with hints of leather and vanilla. It still leans sweet, and seedy fig, raisins, and grape jam contribute to the stewed fruit bouquet. The finish has a medium length.
Final Note: Really lovely, well-measured single malt. The sherry influence is relatively strong after those 18 years of maturation, but it's never overwhelming - nicely balanced, with some baking spices and oak to counteract the fruity side. That oak did grow a bit more prominent into the finish, while fruits dominated the nose and palate. If we had to guess, at least a portion of the sherry casks used in the maturation were second fill or refill casks - plenty of sherry influence, but not a bomb.
Value isn't great unfortunately, at least here in the US. Somewhere along the process of importation and distribution, the price of Bunnahabhain 18 Year has been driven up severely in the last year years; for a while, it was hard to find it cheaper than $350. There are a few places that sell it under the $300 mark now, but it's still expensive for an 18 year old whisky.
Our Average Rating: 8.1 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 4.98
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
