Bunnahabhain 12 Cask Strength (2021) Whisky Review!

Bunnahabhain has finally brought us a cask strength version of their core range 12-year old, which suddenly appeared soon after ex-Ardbeg/Glenmorangie Brendan McCarron joined the team as Head Distiller. And now it's landed down under! But that's not all, folks. This is a 2-for-1 review!

First, a confession: I've never been a huge fan of the standard Bunnahabhain 12-year old. Yes it's decent value for money, and it does typify the distillery's character, but there are many other whiskies at the same price point that I'd choose ahead of it. As much as I love the drier, gingery, nutty style of unpeated Bunnahabhain, the 12-year old has always seemed a little austere, and rough around the edges. I'm not saying I'd turn down a dram if you're buying, but I don't find myself wishing that I had a bottle on the shelf - possibly because there's always another Bunnahabhain there to satisfy the craving. But despite that, any cask strength version of a distillery's core range bottling is going to pique my curiosity, and this is no exception. Supposedly this is going to be an annual release, with this first 2021 edition hitting the European shelves late last year and arriving in Australia around May this year. Local pricing is not unreasonable at around $165 AUD, or around $50 above than the standard version at 46.3% ABV, and from my external perspective the stock does seem to be selling quickly - I'm a bit late to the party with this review, but hopefully there's still some around. Both versions of the 12-year old are fully matured in ex-sherry casks, although in my opinion the vast majority if not the entirety would be refill, which is very much the standard operating procedure at Bunnahabhain since it suits their spirit style very nicely. 

I wish more distilleries would release cask strength versions of their core range products. Some do this on a sporadic basis, but most don't bother at all, or they only give us a younger NAS cask strength bottling instead. Let's imagine a readily-available cask strength version of Ardbeg 10, Glendronach 18, Lagavulin 16, or Talisker 10. Yes they'd obviously be significantly more expensive than the standard versions, but if these hypothetical whiskies were presented properly like this Bunnahabhain is, i.e. they were natural cask strength, non-chill filtered and natural colour (looking at the hypothetical Diageo two there), I suspect they'd be fantastic. Why don't these imaginary beasts already exist? Probably because the increased pressure on maturing stocks would hurt the availability of the standard versions, and sales would go backwards as a result. Any company would be very hesitant to take that risk with such a large chunk of their balance sheets, particularly the larger corporations with their return-hungry shareholders. But it's also possibly because the distillery and/or their parent company doesn't have the flexibility in their bottling halls to be fiscally practical, or perhaps the whiskies' flavour profiles don't quite work at cask strength without significant alterations to the blends/vattings, also requiring increased costs. None of those possible roadblocks have stopped Bunnahabhain though, and it shows that owners Distell are listening to the market and also listening to their staff, and are giving us whisky nerds exactly what we want!

There are a couple of points of difference with Bunnahabhain over those distilleries targeted above. This is a lesser-known distillery with less demand on its core range product than those hypothetical examples that I mentioned, and therefore there's less risk on Distell's part. On the other hand this whisky is probably going to win over plenty of new customers who have otherwise overlooked the distillery's official offerings in favour of a readily-available alternative. And by that I mean, the independent bottlers. Bunnahabhain's large annual output of 2.5-million litres of spirit, with roughly 80% of that being unpeated and 20% being peated, is much more than they currently need for their own bottlings, including the sizeable chunk that goes into their blended whiskies like Black Bottle. So they also sell a large amount of spirit and casks to independent bottlers, and aside from perhaps Caol Ila this is probably the easiest Islay single malt to find in an independent bottling. They're generally in unpeated sherry cask-matured form, are often bottled at cask strength, and they're regularly released by just about every independent bottler of Scotch whisky on the market. And that's obviously not the case with any of those hypothetical other examples that I mentioned above. So, this situation presents something of a challenge for this cask strength official bottling of Bunnahabhain; it essentially has to compete with a plethora of cask strength independent bottlings of Bunnahabhain! Yes, this is a cask strength (55.1%), non-chill filtered and natural colour limited release that is fully matured in sherry casks, but so are many of those independent bottlings. Let's see how it fares, shall we? 

Bunnahabhain 12-year old Cask Strength (2021), 55.1%. Islay, Scotland.

Unpeated, fully matured in sherry casks (presumably mostly refill). Non-chill filtered, natural colour.

Colour: Amber. 

Nose: Very Bunnahabhain, immediately familiar. Ginger cake (think softer gingerbread, not hard biscuits), salted roasted nuts (walnut & almond in particular), and dried stone fruit. Black cherry jam, orange rind and a touch of treacle. Cocoa nibs (bitter dark chocolate), raisins and soft leather further in. 

Texture: Medium weight. Rich & spicy, dry & nutty. Slight heat but very pleasant. 

Taste: More ginger cake, treacle toffee, black pepper, salted roasted nuts & cocoa nibs - headed towards cocoa powder here actually. More black cherry jam, soft leather & dried fruit - prunes, figs, nectarine, and bitter orange.   

Finish: Short-medium length. Salted walnut & almond again, more ginger cake and a touch of vanilla cake batter. Raisins soaked in spiced syrup (cinnamon & clove) and a slight touch of black pepper. 

Score: 3.5 out of 5. 

Notes: Black forest cake with handfuls of ginger & salted nuts thrown in. As you'd expect, this really is the standard 12-year old with the volume turned up a few notches. But I find this cask strength version more drinkable than the 46%-er that it was based on, and I'd also say it's more rounded, less spicy & peppery, and maybe a little more "sherried". But it's not a sherry bomb or cask-led whisky at all, there's loads of distillery character on show, and it has just about everything you would expect and could want in a refill sherry cask Bunnahabhain. It may not have the "wow factor" of some of the independent bottlings that it'll inevitably be compared to, but that's to be expected for a cask strength version of the distillery's core range / flagship bottling. This is a solid showing that will easily beat the standard 12-year old any day of the week, and at a reasonable price as well. Certainly worth trying & buying if you're a Bunnahabhain fan - and who isn't? 

Now for Part 2! No, we're not throwing an independent bottling into the ring as you might expect for comparison, this is another cask strength official bottling, but a slightly more limited release of 14,000 bottles... this is Bunnahabhain 'Aonadh', which is pronounced "Oon-ock". They do love their unpronounceable Gaelic names at Bunnahabhain! The word means "union" in this case. This is a 10-year old unpeated Bunna', distilled in 2011, and it's a marriage of fully-matured sherry casks - again, presumably mostly refill sherry - and some port cask finished Bunnahabhain, bottled at a cask strength of 56.2%. I can't say I've tried a port influenced Bunnahabhain before, and I'm guessing we'll be looking at a sweeter, richer, spicier style, although we don't know how many port casks were included in the vatting. This one is also still available at the time of writing, obviously at a higher price than the 12. 

Bunnahabhain Aonadh, 10-year old, 56.2%. Islay, Scotland.

Distilled 2011, vatting of port cask finish and sherry cask full maturation. 14,000 bottles. Non-chill filtered, natural colour.

Colour: Copper. 

Nose: Fuller, slightly richer & slightly sweeter. Ginger syrup, black pepper, and honey-roasted nuts. Stewed rather than dried fruit in this one, with sultanas, currants, and plums. Spiced syrup with cinnamon, nutmeg & some sage - think mulled wine without the wine!

Texture: Medium-heavy weight, rich, thick & spicy. But there's also a definite heat and a little harshness.

Taste: Ginger syrup, figs & dates, raisins & currants. Thick butter caramel & honey-roasted nuts, with some spicy oak. That spiced syrup & leafy sage from the nose again, plus a big pinch of black pepper. 

Finish: Medium-long length. Stewed fruit & spiced syrup carry through, as does the ginger and thick caramel. Slight roughness & spirit-y heat running underneath. Black pepper, a touch of black olive, and some yeasty sourdough starter around the edges. 

Score: 3 out of 5. 

Notes: It's a little rougher and less rounded than the 12 Cask Strength, and it feels a little hurried and a little muddled in comparison. Which is not what I expected to find in Aonadh, particularly based on the nose. There's still a good dose of distillery character on show, but I feel it's been muted & muddled by those port casks being added into the vatting. I suppose the idea was to add some extra richness and some extra sweetness, but adding more first-fill sherry casks could've done that too, or maybe some PX, both of which are well proven to work with the Bunnahabhain spirit. While it's not really fair to compare pricing on this limited release to the cask strength 12-year old, Aonadh is also another $60 AUD, or nearly 30% more, over the 12, and that doesn't add up in my book. It's a close call between the two on the nose, and Aonadh does have more length on the finish, but that's about it. These two cask strength Bunnahabhains are much further apart than I expected, and I know where my money would be going! 

Cheers!

Gypsy Whisky Co. Absinthe Review!

I do start quite a few whisky reviews with the premise of "something a little different", so I'm going to start this one with "a little something very different". Because this is absinthe!

Albert Maignan's "Green Muse", 1895.

Absinthe is easily one of the more misunderstood spirits out there, even here in the 21st century. There have been & still are plenty of myths surrounding absinthe; from consumption still being illegal, to the hallucinations of green fairies thanks to supposed psychoactive properties of the herbal ingredient wormwood, and the supposed risk of absinthe addiction (as opposed to all other alcohol?). The name itself is thought to stem from the ancient Greek "apsinthion", meaning "wormwood", which is the infamous bitter herb - latin name artimesia absinthium - that gives absinthe some of its flavour and most of its reputation. Like many bitter herbs wormwood has been used as medicine for thousands of years in a number of civilisations, but it was made infamous by the official invention of absinthe in late 18th century Switzerland. Absinthe as a spirit first became popular in the early 19th century, particularly in France, with most production happening there and also in the Czech Republic. The world's relationship with absinthe turned sour in the early 20th century, largely thanks to unproven theories about wormwood causing hallucinations and/or mania, and it was banned in a number of countries from the early 1900s through to the early 2000s, although it was never officially banned in a number of countries including Britain or Spain, or here in Australia. 

Many countries including Australia still limit the amount of wormwood that an absinthe can contain, although their exact objection to the herb is highly contentious. It essentially stems from the unproven hypothesis that the chemical compound thujone contained in wormwood has a similar effect on the brain to the THC found in marijuana. This hypothesis was completely disproven in 1999, which helped see most absinthe bans lifted after more than a century of myth & misunderstanding - but as usual, and thanks to some brands continuing to cash-in on the misconceptions in their marketing, the drink's negative reputation still persists in the minds of much of the general public. Rum causes fist fights, gin makes you cry, whisky can only be drunk by old men sitting by their fireplaces, and absinthe makes you see green fairies and/or murder your family. Come on people, it's 2022 for Spaghetti Monster's sake! In reality the amount of thujone present in absinthe is miniscule (generally 10-100 parts per million, i.e. 10-100 milligrams per kilogram), and in massive enough quantities the alcohol content in the spirit would've killed you long before the thujone had any effect. Absinthe does contain one scientifically proven mind-altering chemical though, but it's the same one that is found in every spirit: alcohol!

Absinthe production isn't too dissimilar from gin, where a grain spirit is re-distilled with botanicals / herbs & spices. While there are no legal absinthe definitions or regulations in most countries regarding production or ingredients (aside from wormwood limits), the three traditional main ingredients are fennel seed, green anise, and wormwood, and most absinthes are a light/pale green colour which is a result of macerating (steeping/soaking) those botanicals in the distilled spirit, with the colour coming from the chlorophyll in the plants. Like many unregulated or loosely regulated spirits though, cheaper absinthes may have added sugar and added artificial colouring i.e. synthetic green dyes, while properly made quality spirits do not - the absinthe pictured above would almost certainly have artificial colouring added. As you can guess from those three main ingredients listed above, this is an aniseed / liquorice flavoured spirit, similar to the likes of ouzo (which is Greek) or sambuca (which is Italian) or French herbal liqueurs like Pernod. The modern way of serving absinthe would be in a cocktail like a Sazerac (cognac, rye, absinthe, sugar & bitters), or perhaps kept in the freezer and drank as a shot if you're a university / college art student. The traditional serve though is diluted (typically 3:1) using an absinthe fountain / absinthe drip like the one in the generic photo above, where the glass of spirit is placed under a spouted jug of iced water. The water is slowly dripped over a sugar cube sitting on a slotted spoon placed over the glass, dissolving the sugar and dripping into the glass. The dilution of the spirit with cold water will cause the drink to go cloudy or even milky, much like adding cold water or ice does to a non-chill filtered whisky, albeit in a much more dramatic fashion thanks to the oil content in the absinthe from the herbs. Obviously you could just add sugar syrup & cold water to your absinthe for the same result, but this fountain method adds a bit of Bohemian drama & theatre to the occasion, and it does look cool!

Gypsy Whisky Co., Jack (L) and Louis (R). Photo c/o The Mercury Newspaper.

I have tried a couple of absinthes in the past, in all three servings mentioned above, and while they were suited to purpose at the time I wouldn't rave about them, and I certainly wouldn't review them on a whisky blog. But the inspiration behind this piece is something that blew my mind - in a flavour sense of course, not in a psychoactive sense! This particular absinthe comes from two prodigal sons of the Tasmanian whisky industry here in Australia: Louis Duckett, son of the mad alchemist Tim Duckett a.k.a. Mr. Heartwood, and Jack Lark, son of the Godfather of Australian whisky, Bill Lark. Given their family history it's no surprise that these two have already carved some serious notches on their belts with a number of impressive distilleries and impressive whiskies already listed on their CVs. The two early 20-year olds have been friends for a long time, and have more recently formed their own fledgling company, Gypsy Whisky Co., to give them something to play with in their spare time - although they don't actually have any spare time. Louis is heavily involved in the family operation Heartwood & its offshoot Tasmanian Independent Bottlers, while also working in the Hobart hospitality scene, and also working at Battery Point Distillery in Hobart; while Jack is involved with Old Kempton Distillery, and again Battery Point Distillery, while also writing, directing & acting in stage theatre. Both are extremely characterful young men, and they're going to have amazing careers ahead of them regardless of where they decide to aim their attention. And yes, there's also whisky on the way. But for now, rather than make a gin like everyone else in Australia, they've made an absinthe. And it's delicious! 

Given the fanciful names behind some of TIB & Heartwood's bottlings, that aspect of the first product from Gypsy Whisky Co. is a little plain in comparison: 'Local Absinthe'. The exact recipe used is a little secretive, but it is based on neutral sugarcane spirit, re-distilled in a copper pot still with wormwood, fennel seed, aniseed and also native Australian lemon myrtle, among other things. The spirit is then macerated with more of these herbs after distillation, imparting more flavour, and also the natural pale colour, while mellowing the spirit in the process. And no sugar, caramel or dye has been added. It's bottled at 60% ABV, although you'd never guess that based on smell or taste. Production volumes are tiny, but they're currently on their third batch, and pricing is very reasonable at around $110 AUD for a 500ml bottle. Yes, that's more expensive than the typical brands that you'll find at the typical supermarket chain liquor stores, many of which are just flavoured vodkas with some bright green food colouring poured in. But this is a completely different spirit, almost unrecognisable in comparison, and well worth the investment. If you're a fan of absinthe or other aniseed / liquorice flavoured spirits or foods, you're going to love this stuff. And if you've only tried those cheap, nasty brands so far, this absinthe will completely change your opinion on the spirit as a whole. There are only a couple of online retailers that are selling Gypsy Whisky Co.'s Local Absinthe, Hobart's Destination Cellars and Drink Tasmania (formerly known as Richmond Tasting House, and the source of the photo below), or you can contact the producers directly at contact@gypsywhiskyco.com.au and the proprietors can organise a bottle or two for you. Now, on to the review! I'm tasting this absinthe neat, and I'm not going to give it a score, since it's the only absinthe I've reviewed and my experience with absinthe is limited to this product and the generic bottle shop / chain store brands. Hopefully the tasting notes and my recommendation will suffice!

Gypsy Whisky Co. Local Absinthe, 60% ABV. Hobart, Tasmania.

Sugar cane spirit re-distilled with fennel seed, wormwood, aniseed and lemon myrtle, among others, then macerated with the same after distillation. No added sugar, no artificial colour.

Colour: Pale greenish-yellow - which my wife tells me is chartreuse. 

Nose: Floral & sweet, with liquorice allsorts, woody & bitter herbs, and a waxy lemon note which is very refreshing - lemon balm, then. Nicely spicy & changing in the glass too, cloves, sweet dried flowers & fisherman's friends. 

Texture: Big & syrupy, sweet & oily. Hides its 60% strength very, very well!

Taste: Sweet & oily. Aniseed, more liquorice allsorts - or Allen's black cats, if you're in Australia. A soothing sweetness and that refreshing lemon balm following suit. Then leafy & woody herbs. 

Finish: Long & powerful, with a touch of bitterness from those woody herbs, then the lemon balm and sweet dried flowers, liquorice & fennel seed, and a nice oily sweetness underneath. 

Notes: No green fairies or ghostly figures to be seen, what a shame! This is really very delicious. You're going to need to be a liquorice / aniseed fan of course, which I am, and I'm really digging this. Highly, highly recommended. If you've tried those cheap bright green absinthes before, this Gypsy Whisky Co. Local Absinthe is in a completely different league. It's refreshing, sweet, oily, and loaded with liquorice & aniseed. I did try it with some room temperature water (no sugar cube), and it softened slightly and became more floral, and didn't lose anything. But I prefer it neat, sipped slowly of course like you would any other spirit of this quality. Speaking of which, this is without a doubt the best aniseed-flavoured spirit I've ever tasted. There are no rough edges, no harsh or aggressive alcohol nip/bite to be found, and it's a real treat. 

Highly recommended folks, absinthe doesn't get more local than this! Send Gypsy Whisky Co. an email at contact@gypsywhiskyco.com.au to get your hands on a bottle. 

Cheers!