Like Deanston, Bunnahabhain contributed three expressions to this year’s Limited Editions. There were two expressions from 2007, in Port and in French Brandy, alongside this 30 year old expression finished in ex-Marsala hogsheads for three years before being bottled in the 2019 limited edition.
Photo Credit: https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/
Bunnahabhain 30, Vintage 1988, Marsala Finish, Distell Limited Edition 2019, 1260 Bottles (47.4% ABV, NCF, NC)
Appearance: Bronze, very evenly spread legs coming off a sturdy necklace.
Nose: Banana and a hint of rum, subtle honey, red fruit with a hint of a tropical overtone, with hints of spice and marmalade.
Palate: Very tropical, full of pineapple, kiwi, star fruit and some cinnamon. Not overly complex, but it’s good. The end of the sip has some depth of spicy notes with some clove and allspice.
Linger: Some bitter citrus rind with a dryness that’s almost powdery, which clearly betrays the age of the whisky.
Conclusion
What a glorious old Bunna, yet not overly complex despite its age. It seems like the original 1988 casks brought out the tropical fruit with some spice, but that’s about it. The Marsala cask finish, I would assume, was used to add some complexity into this good, though rather one dimensional old and dignified casks.