Bunnahabhain: Two Very Special Bottlings Come to Malaysia

Bunnahabhain Distillery, situated on the rugged northeastern coast of Islay, Scotland, has a rich history dating back to its founding in 1881 by the Islay Distillery Company, spearheaded by William Robertson and the Greenless brothers. The name ‘Bunnahabhain’ comes from the Scottish Gaelic Bun na h-Àbainn, meaning ‘mouth of the river,’ a fitting tribute to its scenic location near the Margadale River.

Initially built to produce whisky for blends, the distillery has since gained a strong reputation for its distinctive single malts. Unlike many Islay whiskies, Bunnahabhain’s core range is largely unpeated, with a high influence of sherry cask aging. However, the distillery also produces some peated expressions, as well. The whisky often carries subtle maritime notes due to the distillery’s proximity to the sea, reflected by Bunnahabhain’s nautical-themed logo of a helmsman at the wheel of a ship.

Bunnahabhain’s coastal location and proximity to the sea also influence the maturation process. The sea air is said to impart a subtle saltiness to the whisky, adding to its unique flavour profile. The distillery is somewhat isolated on Islay, accessible by a winding single-track road that leads visitors through some of the island’s most beautiful landscapes.

As with many distilleries in Scotland, ownership of the Bunnahabhain distillery has changed hands over the years. Just a few years after its founding, it was absorbed by Highland Distillers in 1887. The distillery faced challenges in the early 1980s, closing in 1981 but reopening in 1984. Burn Stewart Distillers took ownership in 2003, which is a subsidiary of Distell Group Limited​, a South African company that fully acquired the distillery in 2013.

Today, the distillery operates four pot stills. The two wash stills hold 30,000 litres but are only filled with 17,500 litres each, while the two smaller spirit stills have a capacity of 15,000 litres each. The long necks of the stills contribute to the lighter, fruitier, and more delicate whisky that Bunnahabhain is known for.

ISLAY’S FESTIVAL OF MUSIC AND MALT

Fèis Ìle, the Islay Festival of Music and Malt, is an annual celebration on the island of Islay, Scotland, that brings together whisky enthusiasts, music lovers, and the local community. Held each May since 1986, the festival highlights Islay’s rich cultural heritage, featuring traditional Gaelic music, ceilidhs, and performances by local and visiting musicians.

Of course, the star attraction for attendees is the whisky, as each of Islay’s 10 active distilleries host special events, including tastings, exclusive bottlings, and tours. The festival’s length is matched to the number of distilleries, too, with each getting its own special day. For whisky lovers, Fèis Ìle is not just a celebration of whisky, but also an opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in Islay’s history, landscape, and its people. For these reasons, the festival has grown in popularity to the point where it sees the island’s 3,200-strong population nearly triple during the 10-day period, and bookings are made many months in advance.

Typically, in order to get a special Fèis Ìle bottling from any Islay distillery, you must either go to the festival, know someone who is going and would be willing to give up some of their own limited purchase allocation to bring you a bottle (good luck with that), or wait to see if any of the bottles make their way to the secondary market in the months following the festival.

This year, however, Bunnahabhain actually brought two of its truly excellent Fèis Ìle bottlings to Malaysia – and along with them came Bunnahabhain Distillery Manager Andrew Brown. A special word must be said about Andrew’s visit, because although he’s been with the distillery for over 35 years, they apparently never let him leave Islay: This marked his first trip to not only Malaysia, but anywhere in Asia! It was a genuine honour for Malaysia’s whisky community to play host to such a distinguished veteran in the Scotch whisky industry as he made his first-ever visit to Asia. During his visit to KL, comprising both a media launch event and a Bunnahabhain masterclass, Andrew introduced not only the limited 2024 Fèis Ìle bottlings from Bunnahabhain, but the whole core range of the distillery, too.

MALAYSIA EMBRACES BUNNAHABHAIN

Though the Fèis Ìle bottles this year are a fresh and coveted addition to the whisky landscape here, Bunnahabhain has been on shelves in Malaysia for some 22 years, courtesy of Single and Available. At a time when Malaysians were largely only drinking blended whiskies, managing director and self-styled ‘whisky nerd’ Shareen Yew felt the time was right to start promoting the enjoyment of single malts, too, and Bunnahabhain was among the first such whiskies on her list to bring to Malaysia.

Now, the range available includes two very special expressions bottled for the 2024 edition of Fèis Ìle (though we’re not sure how long they’ll last), which we were able to taste at a special event led by Andrew Brown himself at the beautiful new 53-storey Lexis Imperial Kuala Lumpur’s top-floor concept bar. With its unique hybrid indoor/outdoor design, Satellite Bar and Restaurant offers patrons truly incredible, panoramic city views and proved to be a wonderful venue for the tasting event.

The first Fèis Ìle expression is a Bunnahabhain 14-year-old Ruby Port Cask Finish, with notes of candied fruit, baking spices, red berries, and plum from the Port cask ageing, interwoven with the spirit’s characteristic creamy, malty essence with hints of vanilla, orange peel, and oak. With a robust ABV of 58.7%, this dram delivers a lengthy finish with notes of dark chocolate and subtle spiciness. We loved this one.

Sherry lovers, meanwhile, will certainly appreciate the Bunnahabhain 23-year-old Triple Sherry Wood Finish, a glorious cask strength expression finished in casks that held three different styles of Sherry, namely Manzanilla, Amontillado, and Oloroso. These whiskies were then married by Master Blender Julieann Fernandez and bottled at 53.3% ABV. On the palate, this smooth Sherry-forward offering delivers additional notes of dark fudge, vanilla, those expected baking spices, and a hint of dried tobacco. Truly a lovely, decadent dram, and worthy of the special Fèis Ìle denotation.

We count ourselves among Bunnahabhain’s many fans. The Islay distillery continues to innovate while staying true to its roots, ensuring that its reputation for making good, high-quality single malt whisky remains strong. Under Andrew Brown’s steady leadership, Bunnahabhain’s commitment to tradition and quality endures, showing exactly why Bunnahabhain has remained such a significant player in the world of Scotch whisky.

Bunnahabhain whiskies, including limited quantities of the Fèis Ìle expressions, are available at Single and Available’s retail outlet at Bangsar Shopping Centre, or online at singleandavailable.com.my. Be sure to look for Bunnahabhain at WhiskyPLUS 2024!