Bunnahabhain 12-Year-Old Single Malt Scotch Review
Photo courtesy of Bunnahabain Distillery

Photo courtesy of Bunnahabhain Distillery

The Bunnahabhain distillery has graced Islay since 1881.  Located on the northeastern part of the Island, the whiskies coming out of here are known to have a much milder flavor profile when compared to other whiskies produced on Islay.  This is partially due to limestone-filtered spring water, which contains no peat.  The brand is currently owned by Burn Stewart Distillers, and is a major malt component of Black Bottle blended whisky.  An internet search revealed that Bunnahabhain didn’t release it’s first single malt until the 1970s.  Before that the whisky distilled here was strictly used for blending into Black Bottle.

Photo courtesy of Bunnahabhain Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Bunnahabhain Distillery.

The 12-year-old whisky is the distillery’s youngest age-stated expression.  It’s un-chillfiltered and natural color.  Bunnahabhain says the rich color is due to the use of some sherry casks.  Kudos for the higher-than-normal abv.  Here, it’s presented at 46.3%.

The nose is rich with salted toffee and dried fruits.  There’s no peat to be found here.  The entry is intensely flavored.  Strong notes of toffee, fruit, salt and vanilla all swirl around a background of soft, bittersweet oak.  This reminds me more of a Highland malt than an Islay malt.  The finish is long, warm and carries a sweet and slightly salty note.  A small splash of water opens this whisky up nicely, but don’t go overboard.  A drop or two will do.

Re-tasting Black Bottle blended whisky, I can easily pick out the influence Bunnahabhain adds.  By itself, it is a lovely and robust sweet and salty malt.  Bunnahabhain 12-year-old has instantly become one of my favorite whiskies.  Don’t be like me and hold off on tasting this delightful whisky.  I hope to find and taste their 18 & 25 year-old expressions soon.

8.5/10
(Note: Review samples were provided by Bunnahabhain.)

A Taste of Bowmore Whiskies
Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Nestled on the eastern coast of Loch Indaal on Islay, Bowmore sits proudly as one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland.  It was founded in 1779, making it almost as old as the U.S.  The distillery is currently owned by Beam Suntory.  Each batch is overseen by Master Blender Rachel Barrie.

Bowmore produces a peaty whiskey, but it’s not as full and heavy as Laphroaig or Ardbeg whiskies.  The distillery still manages a small amount of traditional floor maltings, but the majority of malted barley comes from the mainland.

Traditional floor maltings at Bowmore.

Picture supplied by SNS Group/Peter Devlin

Their standard range includes Bowmore Small Batch along with 12-year, 15-year, 18-year and 25-year-old expressions.  Let’s take a look at their expressions.

Bowmore Small Batch

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Bottled at 40% and available for a suggested price of $39.99, Bowmore Small Batch is the only non-age stated (NAS) whisky in their core lineup.  It’s composed of whiskies aged in first and second fill ex-bourbon casks.  The nose is a tad on the younger side, and gives soft vanilla and fruit notes under a blanket of easy going peat.  The peat comes across like a bandage.  Taste-wise, I get a saccharine sweetness carrying spice, vanilla, and peat.  A crisp citrus note shows up in the mid-palate and follows through into the medium length finish.

After a couple of tastings, I can’t get into this expression.  It tastes okay, but isn’t spectacular or memorable.

My problem isn’t the lack of age statement on the label – that never really bothers me.  After all, the Scotch industry is headed that way regardless, so it’s best to get on board now.

In the case of this expression of Bowmore, I think it’s a combination of NAS and low proof.  A 46% abv version of this might give this whisky a much needed shot in the arm.

6.5/10

Bowmore 12-Year-Old

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

The nose on this 12-year-old expression of Bowmore is a bit punchier than it’s younger NAS sibling.  The peat is showcased more here, providing a slightly ashy smoke and iodine combination.  There’s a nice honey note providing the sweetness, along with lemon zest.  I best describe the entry as a “sweet bandage”.  That may be the strangest tasting note I’ve ever written. There’s clover honey and smoky ash accompanied by vanilla.  Mid-palate, lemon curd provides a tartness and creaminess to the tasting experience.  The sweet/ashy/citrus finish hangs around for a few minutes.  This is one of the few times the official distillery tasting notes are on par with my own tasting notes.

Bowmore 12-year-old is a much more refined and “complete” expression when compared to the Small Batch whisky.  Sure it’s peaty, but this whisky retains a light and crisp quality I don’t normally associate with Islay whiskies.  While it’s a nice dram, Bowmore 12 year isn’t one to dissect for an hour.  Pour a glass, sip, and enjoy.  A bottle should cost around $50.

7.5/10

Bowmore 15-Year-Old “The Darkest”

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery

This darker colored 15-year-old expression from Bowmore is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon casks and ex-sherry casks, giving it the nickname of “The Darkest.”  Also of note is the slight raise in proof – 43% abv.

Those sherry casks provide a nice fruitiness and richness on the nose.   Dried fruits, vanilla, citrus and peat are the prominent aromas.  Toffee provides the rich sweet note.  On the palate, a quick hit of spice opens into a blast of orange zest and tropical fruit.  The peat note is not as prevalent as it is in the younger Bowmore expressions.  Again, the toffee note from the nose adds some sweet creaminess.  An ashy smoke note turns up at the back palate going into the long finish.

Bowmore 15-year is my favorite of the bunch.  I have a soft spot for sherried Islay whiskies.  The sherry casks provide another layer of complexity that I think this whisky benefits from.  It’s not as light in style as the Small Batch or 12-year-old, but that’s okay.  This expression carries a $65 price tag, making it $15 more expensive than the 12-year-old.   Totally worth it, as far as I’m concerned.  Recommended!

8/10

(Note: Review samples were provided by Bowmore.)

Crown Royal XO and XR Canadian Whisky Reviews

This past Christmas a friend of mine at work struck up a conversation with me about whiskey.  Specifically Crown Royal.  She’s a fan of their standard Crown Royal  blend, and asked my opinion regarding Crown Royal XO and XR.  Unfortunately, I’ve never tasted either so I couldn’t help her out.  I reached out to the folks at Crown Royal, and they kindly sent over samples for me to try.

Crown Royal XO

Photo courtesy of Crown Royal.

Photo courtesy of Crown Royal.

Crown Royal XO is a blend of over 50 whiskies owned by Crown Royal.  The matured whisky is then finished in ex-cognac casks.  It’s bottled at 40% abv and available for around $50.  The cognac barrel finishing is evident on the nose.  The nose is soft and sweet, as expected from a Crown Royal.  However, there’s a slight dry or astringent oak, vanilla and a touch of maple syrup.  The low abv softens the palate a bit and brings about fruit, caramel, and a little oak spice.  It feels a tad more complex than the standard blend.  The finish is rather light and short, leaving behind vanilla custard.

This is a step up from the standard Crown Royal blend.  However, it still comes across a bit light to me.  Beefing up the alcohol percentage to 43% or 46% would help this release, in my opinion.  Nonetheless, if you’re just looking for a light, sweet whisky, this would be right up your alley.

7.5/10

Crown Royal XR

Photo courtesy of Crown Royal.

Photo courtesy of Crown Royal.

Part of the Extra Rare series, this blend of Crown Royal XR features some of the last whisky from the now closed LaSalle distillery.  Crown Royal Master Blender Andrew MacKay was aiming for a richer blend when creating Crown Royal XR.  That richness is something the LaSalle distillery is known for producing.  Bottled at the standard 40% abv, Crown Royal XR smells great.  Thick maple syrup and rounded rye spice (as opposed to a sharp rye spice) dominate the nose.  This is Crown Royal we’re talking about, so it’s still a light nose.  Taste-wise, the entry isn’t an immediate sweetness.  Instead, a slight sharp grain note quickly develops into a rich, sweet syrup.  Some spice pops up along the way, along with a touch of dry oak and vanilla.  This whisky has a moderately long finish full of sweet and spicy oak.

There’s a nice complexity in this release, and it may be among my favorite Crown Royal blends.  Not my favorite though… that title still belongs to Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel.  Still, this one holds up in the glass, and is a worthy pour for fans of Crown Royal.  A bottle of Crown Royal XR should run cost about $130.

8/10
(Note: Review samples were provided by Diageo.)