Bunnahabhain treads the sherry route

Bunnahabhain has released a limited edition manzanilla Sherry wood finish whisky. The Islay single malt has undergone a double maturation process, with 12 years in traditional oak before being transferred to the manzanilla casks for a further four years. The distillery has produced 3,792 bottles for the UK and export markets.

The whisky is characterised by “dark chocolate and dry sherry flavours”, as well as “roasted nutty maltiness with hints of liquorice and euclayptus”. The edition also carries a higher than average alcohol content of 53.2% volume. Bunnahabhain has released this new whisky in a 70cl bottle with a metallic gift tube at an RRP of £70.

The manzanilla casks, which come from the estuary of the river Guadalquivir at Sanlúcar de Barrameda, were chosen to complement the crisp, fresh influence on the whisky from Islay’s bracing air. Katherine Crisp, Bunnahabhain brand manager, commented, “This is still Bunnahabhain, just a different and memorable expression”.

Gabriel Savage, 04.02.09