Bunnahabhain 31 Years (1987/2019) - Wemyss Malts
Raisin D'etre: the name says it all. Thirty-one years in a sherry butt have turned this 1987-vintage Bunnahabhain into a raisin dream, bottled by Wemyss Malts in 2019 in a limited run of 568 bottles. Natural drinking strength of 44.7%, no bitterness, no tannin escapades. Just perfectly balanced maturation where subtractive and additive processes work in harmony.
Tasting Notes
Nose
The name delivers on its promise: raisins, raisins and more raisins. Dark, ripe specimens, accompanied by heavy dark caramel and walnuts. Chocolate and dark honey lay a velvety layer on top, while sweet tobacco lurks gently in the background. Dried fruits, balanced spices and a hint of marzipan. Cognac-style rancio notes and a dusty old wine cellar betray the venerable age, along with well-worn leather and freshly split vanilla pods. Orange and ginger marmalade and warm chestnuts round out the picture. A minimal whiff of sulphur is present but nothing dramatic.
Palate
Soft and pleasant on the lips. The natural drinking strength of 44.7% is simply perfect. The mouthfeel is creamy, waxy yet full and firm. The dark raisins return, now almost black, joined by espresso and old-school sherry at its finest. Dried dates and figs, leather and a creamy sweetness from the cask. Chocolate orange biscuits, almond mousse, cardamom and cloves add spicy accents. A touch of oak balances the sweetness. Subtractive maturation has smoothed the edges, additive maturation has contributed the sherry sweetness. Perfectly balanced. Pulled from the cask at exactly the right moment.
Finish
Long, warm and wonderfully harmonious. The flavours already tasted take turns as they slowly fade. Fermented grapes lead, followed by forest berry jam, walnuts and robust oak spice. Black raisins and chocolate return, sweet tobacco and dried fruits hold on tenaciously. Nothing bitter, nothing jarring, simply round. Thanks to the residual sweetness, it remains only slightly dry right through to the end.
Thoughts
Marcel 89/100 - (Excellent)
Would I have guessed Bunnahabhain in a blind tasting? Hard to say. This 31-year-old is so deep in sherry territory that the distillery DNA almost disappears. But that's exactly what makes it so fascinating. The balance between cask and distillate is dreamy, the natural drinking strength a blessing, and the complete absence of bitterness after 31 years in a butt borders on a small miracle. Raisin D'etre. They couldn't have named it better.
Sascha 89/100 - (Excellent)
Classic old-school sherry, textbook style. Dark caramel, raisins, walnuts, it's all there, all clean, all harmonious. The finish is the cherry on top: long, complex and without a single off-note. Sure, there are more spectacular Wemyss Bunnahabhains out there, but this one simply does everything right and is a wonderful example of what 31 years of patient maturation in the right cask can achieve.
Value for Money: 0/5 (No rating)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name 'Raisin D'etre' mean?
Wemyss Malts always gives their bottlings descriptive fantasy names instead of cask numbers. 'Raisin D'etre' is a play on the French 'raison d'être' (reason for being) and the English 'raisin', an apt nod to the dominant raisin character of this 31-year-old Bunnahabhain from a sherry butt.
Why doesn't this Bunnahabhain have the typical Islay peat character?
Bunnahabhain is one of the few Islay distilleries that predominantly produces unpeated whisky. Vintages from the 1980s in particular are known for their gentle, fruity character without smoke. Combined with 31 years of sherry cask maturation, raisins, chocolate and dark fruits dominate here rather than peat and iodine.
What is a sherry butt?
A butt is a large sherry cask with a capacity of around 500 litres – significantly larger than a hogshead (approx. 250 litres) or a bourbon barrel (approx. 200 litres). The larger cask size means a lower ratio of wood surface to volume, allowing for a slower, gentler maturation. Over 31 years of ageing, that's a crucial factor in this whisky's balance.
