Whisky and Words Number 110: Bunnahabhain 2008 Manzanilla Cask Limited

This Bunnahabhain Limited Release was distilled in 2008, bottled in 2017, and I received it as a gift in 2022. Yes, I’ve been a lazy lad and have not written a blog in two years, LFG!

How is this different from regular old Bunna 12? The 12 is also ‘sherry cask matured,’ but the little secret about “sherry barrels” is that many times they are not actually casks used to make sherry. The Whisky Wash reported in 2022 “in 1981, the Spanish government changed its export rules, banning the use of casks for shipping. The global supply of sherry barrels dried up overnight.” They explain that the distillers purchase new-make barrels that have had sherry sitting in them for a few months, or do their own sherry-cask seasoning, which would be for some time period, not necessarily as long as sherry is normally aged for production (minimum two years).

The label on this whisky specifically mentions “former Manzanilla sherry casks” which implies they actually aged sherry in said casks. Manzanilla sherry is domain-protected (Whisky and Wisdom has a great article on Sherry) and can only be produced in a single coastal town, Sanlúcar de Barrameda. The Bunna marketers highlight a salty maritime air on the carton and bottle notes, due to these casks laying for 2 years in a seaside warehouse.

Let’s see how this 11-year-old stacks against good old Bunna 12, which differs in its approach to aging. The standard Bunnahabhain is aged 12 years, with 30% of the casks being ex-bourbon and 70% being ex-sherry (or sherry seasoned. more precisely. The ABV of this limited release is higher than standard, the 12 being bottled at 46.3% ABV, where the Manzanilla release is  bottled at 52.3%. 

First off, this Limited has a nose. It comes out and whacks you in the snoot before you get your nose over the glass and yes, there is a note of the sea in that aroma. It’s like the 12 but a lot more to it: thicker than the 12, as you would expect from 100% sherry cask-matured. Also, the limited is smoother on the nose, with no sting at all, whereas the 12 will bite you a little if you get too aggressive in your snorting. On the palate the Limited  is quite a bit smoother than its 12-year sibling—despite being a touch younger. 

Bunnahabhain 2008 Manzanilla Cask Matured Scotch Whisky,  52.3% ABV

Nose: Loads of very dry sherry, earthy undertones, ocean mist, dark chocolate, and wheat toast.
Palate: Creamy feel; lots of dry sherry and white chocolate. Very smooth.
Finish: Despite the dryness of the sherry, it is a sweet finish.

Bottom Line: Although this is a ‘sherry monster’ it is a sophisticated and well crafted monster at that. If you are lucky enough to find a bottle, it will be worth the premium over standard Bunna.

If you are interested in the current (uncertain) state of sherry cask provenance, this article from Whisky magazine is interesting and has useful links.