Bunnahabhain Darach Ur

46.3% abv

Score:  79.5/100

Darach Ur.  Gaelic for ‘New Oak’.  Yep…it sure is.  Holy hell.  You want tasting notes?  Ok.  Oak…oak…oak…vanilla…oak.

Seriously though…oak and vanilla.  Poached pear and rose petals.  Ginger and grapefruit.  Bourbon and pepper.  And oak.  This is not exciting.  With the brilliant strides Bunnahabhain have taken with the recent re-releases of the 12, 18 and 25, I came in to this one with higher expectations than were perhaps fair.  Either way…

Much more happening on the palate than the nose.  But wham! what an arrival.  Like being hit in the mouth with a whisky-soaked 2×4.  Malt-soaked white fruits and ginger candy.  Toothpicks and barley.  Perhaps the faintest echo (perhaps) of smoke.

Ok…Bunna’s folks have claimed malts aged up to 20 years in here.  Really?  These must have been measured in thimblefuls.  This certainly doesn’t present like a whisky with much age to its credit, but…hey…I’ve been fooled before.

I believe you can only find this in Duty Free or at the distillery.  Don’t sweat it.  Do rush out and give Bunna your money…just make sure you’re getting something like the standard 18 y.o. in return.

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Piers