Bunnahabhain 1989 'Maritime Embrace' Wemyss

If the tasting panel of Wemyss, led by Charles McClean, comes up with a title like 'Martime Embrace', you can rest assured it will be a warm malt with loads of coastal elements, right? This Bunna is very pale.

The nose immediately indicates this is going to a fresh one. Sea air, oyster sap and fresh mint precede some white fruit and lemons. Freshly cut grass and vanilla. Just a touch medicinal. Classic Bunna, I would say. It can hide its 24 years of age quite well.

It is wonderfully oily on the palate. Mouth coating. Nice spices (pepper, liquorice, ginger) support the fruit from the nose, in which the lemons clearly take the lead. Midpalate it evolves from sweet to salty and back, like a yo-yo. Touch of smoke. Not overly complex, but having no problem with that. Good.

In the rather short finish the oak pipes up, but nevertheless it dies a bittersweet death as if grapefruit and blood oranges have just been added. And let us not forget the smoke. Nice.

Typical spring whisky from Islay.

Find where to buy Bunnahabhain whisky