Bunnahabhain 2008 11yo Manzanilla Cask...

Bunnahabhain 2008 11yo Manzanilla Cask (52.3%): I decided to have a totally random sample day today to make an already gorgeous Sunday morning even better... It is an eleven year old Bunnahabhain release distilled in July 2008 and spent its entire life in Manzanilla sherry casks before being bottled in May 2020. The small batch yielded 9429 bottles in total worldwide only. I am very curious to be honest if it will justify its quite hefty price tag of 200 bucks attached to its neck...

Color: Medium amber, old copper cook ware color with thick, oily but quite fast forming legs.

Nose: A quite unexpected sulphury entry: Sour worms, rotten floorboards and kitchen sink backing up on a rainy hot day... I'll let it air a little. A little better after a few minutes. Underbaked oatmeal raisin cookies, new car tires and hazelnut praline. Actually a couple drops of water solves all the remaining problems: Latex gloves, lemon curd and custard. Crema Catalana and mineral water.  

Palate: Almost no unpleasantness of sulphur on the palate... Cake batter, rum and raisin ice cream and honey roasted nuts. Like it did on the nose a little water works great on the palate as well. Rich and dense fruit cake, dried figs and tahini. Dark Muscovado sugar, caramel eclairs and candied chestnuts. Caramel latte...

Finish: Long with black peppercorns, red pepper flakes and milk chocolate. Aged rum.

Overall: Well, this was a perfect example why it's not a good idea to judge a whisky right away... For someone with a considerably low tolerance for sulphur like myself this whisky was looking like quite a downer in the beginning but it evolved surprisingly well in time after letting it air and also after adding a few drops of water. Still I was expecting (hoping) a less sweet whisky from a Manzanilla cask but it is a very good whisky nonetheless. Thanks to Koray Kaan Ă–zdemir a.k.a. Whisky Monster for sharing it from his own bottle. 

Price: $200

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