Bunnahabhain Canasta Cask Maturation (Fèis Ìle 2023)

Feis Ile is consistently a great event with new releases from Islay distilleries. This year, Bunnahabhain offered two expressions: a very expensive Manzanilla Cask version and this Bunnahabhain Canasta Cask matured bottling. 'Canasta' means 'basket' in Spanish, but it seems unrelated here, as Canasta is also a type of Oloroso Sherry. This bottling is at a respectable 51.2% ABV and has a beautiful tawny color. The nose is quite impressive, featuring orange peel, tangerine caramel, sawdust, and white chocolate. There are also notes of apple peel and crushed almonds. It's incredibly aromatic! After the first sip, the nose becomes creamy and beautiful, smelling like a 'brigadeiro' sweet. The citrus notes are outstanding. A perfect score for the nose. The palate is great, starting with a white chocolate flavor similar to Ritter, followed by subtle sugar and orange acidity. On the second sip, I detected a marvelous sugary note with milk. The aftertaste was pleasant but not as remarkable as the palate and nose. It had notes of sawdust and hay, perhaps a bit too much oak. Overall, this is a very enjoyable single malt for its affordable price. Bunnahabhain did an excellent job with this one, and I would definitely buy it again if I see it. A proper dram, scoring 91 out of 100.

I acquired this with a gift card and it's my first time trying Bunnahabhain. It's 51.2% ABV, and while it doesn't taste like it, I've diluted it to about 47%. Nose: This is quite rich. The primary scent I notice is cinnamon toast. I also detect vanilla, creme brulee, and some dark cherries. Palate: It has an immediate dark richness. Brown sugar, cherry pie, molasses, and so on. However, there's also some leather and spice, with cinnamon and black pepper coming through. Finish: The sides of my tongue feel a pleasant burn from the sherry, which combines with a dry, tannic sensation on the roof of my mouth to create a delightful experience. The spice lingers for a while, and there's a pleasant bitterness that complements the spice and deep sweetness. Overall, while I might prefer a slightly less intense sherry, this is excellent, and I would certainly recommend it. I'm eager to try other Bunnahabhain expressions.

This spirit presents some fruity notes. A light smokiness is present. It becomes smooth after a few minutes with an ice ball, yet retains abundant flavor during consumption. A rather intricate scotch that remains highly sippable. Quite pleasing overall.

It's notably free of peat and delivers a robust Sherry flavor. Positioned on the sweeter side, it doesn't taste its stated alcohol content and is very enjoyable to drink.

Pleasant whiskey, though it has a peculiar funk on the tongue.

Not a fan.