$90-95 in Australia. Got myself a bottle this week of the back of this review. A delightful dram. I am pleased I have added this to the collection as my first Islay!
Oh Bunna! For £30 on offer it is a no brainer. It offers so much in it's age and price category. First malt to wow me and draw me into whisky world. Glad to see you review it Erik even though I know it in a out!
I detect no peat at all in this offering, excellent whisky none the less. Great to see the current bottling has maintained a high quality experience for an entry level bottle...for newbies and seasoned drinkers. Head to head it against the 18. Holds up real well.
My brother and I used this whisky to hook our 80-something-year-old mother into our "bad" habit. She loved it, and now we keep her stocked at all times. Thanks for the review.
Great review. Strangely having had this in many pubs I've only just bought a bottle and whoa why did I wait so long. We should chat about Bunna 12! So good
I’ve only ever had samples of the 12 & 18 but do have a 28 year aged Alexander Murray bottling of a cask strength Bunnahabhain that’s a sherry bomb to end all sherry bombs, being batched the same way as the 12 being ex-bourbon & ex-sherry, so damn good.
As a relative newbie I really didn’t get the hype with my first bottle. Bought another one about a year later and absolutely fell in love with it. Now it’s one of my favourites.
Great timing! I just got a replenishment bottle last Friday. Along with Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10, I always keep a Bunna 12 on hand. This is such a great bottle no matter what level of whisky experience you have. Wonderful description of the aromas and flavors. Thanks Erik!
Great review, Erik. Where I live, the best QPR entry Islay for beginner is Caol Ila 12 and Ardbeg 10. Bunna 12 is very close. They are all excellent whiskies.
It's a bottle I'll always have in my bar. It wouldn't be the ONLY bottle I had. The heavy sherry isn't always what I'm looking for. But for what it is, it's great.
I'm on a Quest to find a decent substitute for HIghland Park's Einar, one of the 'warrior series' that are travel specials. I'd started with Laphroiag 10 and didn't like its 'in your face' peatiness. I wanted the 'hint' of peat I got with HP Einar. I took the plunge and opted for a bottle of Lagavulin 16, which was a distinct improvement over the Laphroiag 10, but was still too much for my palate. So, I picked up a bottle of Bunnahabhain 12 and, although it still has to prove to me that it has any peatiness at all, it has claimed the #3 spot in my collection, as it appeals to my sherry cask tastes.
Excellent review. I have really been enjoying your dive into Islay and look forward to learning more. I just restocked on Bunna 12 today and look forward to revisiting it.
Had it multiple times and not detected even slight notes of peat. Now highland park or springbank... those are lightly peated. This is just a lovely wee sherried number
Part-time bourbon drinker for 10+ years then got into Irish this past May. Really love Irish -- 3 different Redbreasts, 4 Teelings, Green Spot plus a few lower shelf ones. Yummy!! Then I saw this video and a couple others on Bunn-12 which caused me to buy my first Scotch. A couple nights with this and I really love it. Already looking for other Scotch's that I may like. Would like to ease into peat/smoke but a little timid. Would really appreciate any suggestions. Thanks and love your channel !!
Awesome review!!! My introduction to peat was thru Connemara which I liked and then I fell in love with Ardbeg An Oa. My store always have to order them and it takes forever. But this is always on the shelf. Are the taste similar cuz I really want to try it after your review😄😄 thanks for all you Erik!!!
Hello Erik ! I would like to offer one whisky to my father and I am hesitating between this one and the Port Charlotte from Bruichladdich. I personally love the Port Charlotte so wanted to make him try this one but upon watching your video, I am hesitating now. Which one would you recommend here ? Thanks in advance for your help !
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies thanks for the quick answer ! Much appreciated ! Will go for the port Charlotte then ! Just ordered the bunnahabhain for myself, to give a try ! 😅 Good continuation and thanks for all those amazing videos !
Bunnahabhain 12 is £30 a bottle in the U.K. That is fantastic. Can't really call it typically Islay but lovely all the same. It's a problem for Bunnahabhain because I'd rather buy three of these than an 18 and so on. The best drink in the entire Valdespino sherry range is their inexpensive Inocente fantastic fino and I think the Bunnahabhain 12 is their flagship as well. Both companies need a best selling winner to do all the rest. Cheers Erik. WT
Hi Erik. I so enjoy your thoughts. I´d like to ask, as I´m pretty new to Islay whisky, how is the peet in this Bunna compared to Caol Ila 12 yr old? I´m a total peethead and was surprised to find out I liked Caol Ila. My first sip of Caol Ila was not good for me but about a week later I enjoyed it very much even though it did´nt have that peet kick. Maybe my taste buds are getting better. I will get this Bunnah bottle for sure at some point.This Q is for anybody by the by. Cheers to all:)
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Thanks Erik. I will still get a bottle of bunnah:) You made it sound do good and the color was very nice. Untill your next video, take care.
I like wearing a sport coat..... unless it is 100°F / 38°C! It has been REALLY hot here the past few days making wearing a coat very challenging. Thankfully I have air conditioning in my house. My current live stream series "Introduction to Blind Tasting" is more academic.
I think this their best, from the best distillery in Scotland. This is a faultless scotch for me, especially given its price, embarrassing to many others.
Laphroaig 10 costs 49 dollars in my country Ardbeg 10 costs 54 dollars Bowmore 12 costs 40 dollars Bunna12 costs 60 dollars So in my country laphroiag 10 is the best quality/ratio whisky
I still haven't gotten around to Bowmore, but I've had the other three and Laphroaig 10 is my pick as the best of the bunch by far. Ledaig 10 would be my second favorite in this price range (the cost runs between the Ardbeg and the Bunna), but it's not as easy to find.
Igor, Bunnahabhain doesn't fall into the Islay peated profile despite being from Islay. It's a very very lightly peated, sherried, unique animal and shouldn't be compared with those you mentioned in nose palate or finish.
@@WhiskyMystery With all due respect, it's not "maybe", it's unpeated. As for barrel char, as far as I'm concerned "char" (i.e. carbon) is flavorless and is used in filtration (like in home water filters) to remove flavor, it's a subtractive factor in whisky production. It's a notion bourbon drinkers have come up with to distinguish one bourbon from another (not an easy task apples to apples) and to justify overspending on that spirit (which I very much enjoy). Cheers! 😁
Chris Molloy char in a barrel is absolutely not flavorless. Char is not activated charcoal and caramelization is one of the most complex flavor profiles period usually represented by the brown sugar caramel flavors. It’s just science.
This is my LEAST favorite single-malt whisky of all time. It is a syrupy sugar bomb barely one step removed from Drambuie and I can hardly believe it isn't actually a liqueur itself. Subjective opinion aside, I don't disagree with the adjectives you repeatedly mention in the review: "fig, dates, raisins, caramel, chocolate", as well as comparing it to baklava and "cinnamon on a pastry" with "candy bar character". Yes, the finish lasts forever, but so does the finish on a spoonful of maple syrup, too. How you could mention Macallan in comparison is beyond me. I bought a bottle, and then I never bought another bottle, and I will never buy another bottle. For this money, I think one would be much better off getting Laphroaig 10, which is a true smoky, peaty Islay with a bit of sweetness, but to each their own
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Yes, I noticed that in the comments. I just felt like the minority opinion should be expressed because I'm truly mystified over the appeal (or over why I can't stand it), especially since we seem to agree on others (Laphroaig, Lagavulin, etc.). I'm glad folks who have bought it are truly enjoying it, though.
@@EuropaWill I estimate I had about 50 to 75 different single malts at the time I posted, across a roughly 10-year period of drinking scotch whisky. From 10/15/18-year verticals of Speysiders such as Glenlivet and Glenfiddich as well as some more sherried offerings such as Macallan 12 and 18, smoky drams such as Ardbeg 10, Ledaig 10 and Lagavulin 16, to "outliers" such a half dozen different Springbank whiskies and one or two Lowland drams, I've had an extensive and well-rounded education in single malts (and a few blends as well). To this day, the Bunnahabhain 12 still remains my LEAST favorite, and perhaps the only one I would turn down. Perhaps I had a bottle from a bad batch, but it was truly that unpleasant for me.
@@Jaysthename Thanks for the context. There is no accounting for a person's preference in taste, though you may have had a bad example or you may have eaten something super salty prior to trying it. I've had the experience that if you "burn" your tongue with too much salt earlier in the day from a meal like salty soup or chips, that will alter your sense of taste for quite a while, up to a few days in some cases. I've noticed that when my tongue was in an over salt state, that all single malts tasted ridiculously sweet and almost syrupy. So it is possible this is what happened when you tried it, and you could have had the same experience with almost any other SM. Have you gone back and tried it again after a period of fasting for example? Fasting can really bring your taste buds online. I've broke many an intermittent fast with a tasting of scotch and oftentimes my smell and taste acuity is much improved.
Bunna 12 is one of my faves. For the price, if this was all I could afford, I'd happily drink this for the rest of my days.
Agreed.
I’ve gone through more bottles of this than anything else. I absolutely love it
I’m an “oldie” and Bunnahabhain 12 is fantastic, I never want to run out! If I could only have 3 whiskies, this would be one of em.
Yep!
DEFINITELY one of my most favorite value for money whiskies. Great quality.
This is probably where I will start.
$90-95 in Australia. Got myself a bottle this week of the back of this review. A delightful dram. I am pleased I have added this to the collection as my first Islay!
Moscow price.... 130 usd ffs
Yeah dans had it for 90 it was a no brainer after enjoying the nas version. Great drop
Oh Bunna! For £30 on offer it is a no brainer. It offers so much in it's age and price category. First malt to wow me and draw me into whisky world. Glad to see you review it Erik even though I know it in a out!
$124.00 here in Denver Colorado...
Riff off. Don't sale don't buy. Got in Alberta for South of $60.
I detect no peat at all in this offering, excellent whisky none the less. Great to see the current bottling has maintained a high quality experience for an entry level bottle...for newbies and seasoned drinkers. Head to head it against the 18. Holds up real well.
Baklava was the best note hint I've heard about this whisky! Thank you for that
My brother and I used this whisky to hook our 80-something-year-old mother into our "bad" habit. She loved it, and now we keep her stocked at all times. Thanks for the review.
That is awesome! What better gift for Mother's Day?
Opening my first bottle tonight. Sounds like it has every aroma under the sun
Hope you enjoy it!
Possibly my favourite whisky. Love it.
Great review. Strangely having had this in many pubs I've only just bought a bottle and whoa why did I wait so long. We should chat about Bunna 12! So good
I’ve only ever had samples of the 12 & 18 but do have a 28 year aged Alexander Murray bottling of a cask strength Bunnahabhain that’s a sherry bomb to end all sherry bombs, being batched the same way as the 12 being ex-bourbon & ex-sherry, so damn good.
Love Baklava. This whiskey is one of Ralfy’s favourites as well. Just ordered a bottle.
I regularly recommend this whisky and couldn't agree with you more on the quality/value ratio.
As a relative newbie I really didn’t get the hype with my first bottle. Bought another one about a year later and absolutely fell in love with it. Now it’s one of my favourites.
Thanks for sharing!
One of my favourite core range Whiskies. One can't go wrong with bunna 12. Good video Eric 👍🥃
Great timing! I just got a replenishment bottle last Friday. Along with Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10, I always keep a Bunna 12 on hand. This is such a great bottle no matter what level of whisky experience you have. Wonderful description of the aromas and flavors. Thanks Erik!
Great review Erik. This was my gateway scotch and I still love it. One of the best value Scotch whiskies.
Couldn't agree more!
Thanks for the suggestion !
Great review, Erik. Where I live, the best QPR entry Islay for beginner is Caol Ila 12 and Ardbeg 10. Bunna 12 is very close. They are all excellent whiskies.
It's a bottle I'll always have in my bar. It wouldn't be the ONLY bottle I had. The heavy sherry isn't always what I'm looking for. But for what it is, it's great.
Another Islay, yes please !!
Excellent Scotch! Very flavorful. A great value along with being great tasting.
Couldn't agree more!
Overall excellent dram!
I think that Talisker 10 would be a good competitor for this same category
I'm on a Quest to find a decent substitute for HIghland Park's Einar, one of the 'warrior series' that are travel specials. I'd started with Laphroiag 10 and didn't like its 'in your face' peatiness. I wanted the 'hint' of peat I got with HP Einar. I took the plunge and opted for a bottle of Lagavulin 16, which was a distinct improvement over the Laphroiag 10, but was still too much for my palate. So, I picked up a bottle of Bunnahabhain 12 and, although it still has to prove to me that it has any peatiness at all, it has claimed the #3 spot in my collection, as it appeals to my sherry cask tastes.
This is a great review. Really enjoyed it. I've never had the 12, but the 18 I had was a fantastic whiskey.
I'll be reviewing the Bunnhabhain 18 SOON!
I couldn't agree with you more. Great choice.
Bunnahabhain 12 is a delicious whisky... Actually, I have never tried a Bunnahabhain single malt that wasn't delicious.
Excellent review. I have really been enjoying your dive into Islay and look forward to learning more. I just restocked on Bunna 12 today and look forward to revisiting it.
Had it multiple times and not detected even slight notes of peat. Now highland park or springbank... those are lightly peated. This is just a lovely wee sherried number
Fully agree with you Eric. Beautiful liquid.
Part-time bourbon drinker for 10+ years then got into Irish this past May. Really love Irish -- 3 different Redbreasts, 4 Teelings, Green Spot plus a few lower shelf ones. Yummy!! Then I saw this video and a couple others on Bunn-12 which caused me to buy my first Scotch. A couple nights with this and I really love it. Already looking for other Scotch's that I may like. Would like to ease into peat/smoke but a little timid. Would really appreciate any suggestions. Thanks and love your channel !!
It's one of my favorites!
Any time store special, it is a must pick for me. Liked your review.
Thanks!
Ha! ordered a bottle today, will be my first. Thanks for the review
Hope you enjoy it!
I love, love, love this too. You nailed it👌
This stuff is absolutely amazing
Awesome review!!!
My introduction to peat was thru Connemara which I liked and then I fell in love with Ardbeg An Oa. My store always have to order them and it takes forever. But this is always on the shelf. Are the taste similar cuz I really want to try it after your review😄😄 thanks for all you Erik!!!
Couldn't agree more. Sadly this is difficult to get in my parts
Hello Erik !
I would like to offer one whisky to my father and I am hesitating between this one and the Port Charlotte from Bruichladdich.
I personally love the Port Charlotte so wanted to make him try this one but upon watching your video, I am hesitating now.
Which one would you recommend here ?
Thanks in advance for your help !
Does your father like peated whisky? If so, go with the Port Charlotte. If not, go with the Bunnahabhain 12. Either way he won't be disappointed.
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies thanks for the quick answer ! Much appreciated !
Will go for the port Charlotte then !
Just ordered the bunnahabhain for myself, to give a try ! 😅
Good continuation and thanks for all those amazing videos !
I had a buddy from Bulgaria who's mom made a great Baklava!
Eric I agree it's a great whisky and only £30 in the UK at the moment from Amazon
$124.00 in Denver Colorado. I walked out of the store empty-handed..
Great review! I hope you plan on going into the other Bunnahabhain offerings.
I'll be doing the entire core range except for the 25 and 40, they're too epensive.
Erik Wait Whisky Studies But it’s for science! Lol.
Bunnahabhain 12 is £30 a bottle in the U.K. That is fantastic. Can't really call it typically Islay but lovely all the same. It's a problem for Bunnahabhain because I'd rather buy three of these than an 18 and so on. The best drink in the entire Valdespino sherry range is their inexpensive Inocente fantastic fino and I think the Bunnahabhain 12 is their flagship as well. Both companies need a best selling winner to do all the rest. Cheers Erik. WT
I'lll be reviewing the Bunnahabhain 18 soon and I agree, the price jump isn't justified by the quality of the whisky.
Lovely drop
Hi Erik. I so enjoy your thoughts. I´d like to ask, as I´m pretty new to Islay whisky, how is the peet in this Bunna compared to Caol Ila 12 yr old? I´m a total peethead and was surprised to find out I liked Caol Ila. My first sip of Caol Ila was not good for me but about a week later I enjoyed it very much even though it did´nt have that peet kick. Maybe my taste buds are getting better. I will get this Bunnah bottle for sure at some point.This Q is for anybody by the by. Cheers to all:)
jusakaju the Caol Ila 12 has very noticeable peat and Smoke. The Bunnahabhain 12 is so slight you might not notice the peat.
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Thanks Erik. I will still get a bottle of bunnah:) You made it sound do good and the color was very nice. Untill your next video, take care.
I see the Whisky Lock just reviewed the 12 yr cask strength version
I wold LOVE to get a bottle of the Cask Strength!
Some say Baklava and Bunnahabhain are close cousins. One in liquid and the other one in solid form.
I only wish I could find more, I have a single bottle left in reserve, but now I might have to bite the bullet and pour myself a dram
I would like you do a blind taste test of the following whisky
Agree. It is peated, despite what other reviewers say.
Sometimes a sherry cask can give a little sulphery funk that seems like a peated whisky.
You had me at "baklava"!
The "Whiskey Studies" thing means the sport coat is now required. Tie optional. Cheers!
I like wearing a sport coat..... unless it is 100°F / 38°C! It has been REALLY hot here the past few days making wearing a coat very challenging. Thankfully I have air conditioning in my house. My current live stream series "Introduction to Blind Tasting" is more academic.
Yep, this is one of my favorites. A nice whisky explosion in the mouth!
I think this their best, from the best distillery in Scotland. This is a faultless scotch for me, especially given its price, embarrassing to many others.
Hmmm? My post seems to have gone missing? Hate when that happens.
If you put a link to somewhere else TH-cam automatically removes it.
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies I had no idea? I do that all the time. Thanks.
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies $124.00 a bottle here in Denver, Colorado. I walked out of the store empty-handed.
The taste is good but I don't like the smell.
Laphroaig 10 costs 49 dollars in my country
Ardbeg 10 costs 54 dollars
Bowmore 12 costs 40 dollars
Bunna12 costs 60 dollars
So in my country laphroiag 10 is the best quality/ratio whisky
I still haven't gotten around to Bowmore, but I've had the other three and Laphroaig 10 is my pick as the best of the bunch by far. Ledaig 10 would be my second favorite in this price range (the cost runs between the Ardbeg and the Bunna), but it's not as easy to find.
Igor, Bunnahabhain doesn't fall into the Islay peated profile despite being from Islay. It's a very very lightly peated, sherried, unique animal and shouldn't be compared with those you mentioned in nose palate or finish.
Bunna 12 is not peated at all.. this information has been confirmed by Master Blender from Disteel company - Julieann Fernandez..
Yep.
Barrel char notes coming through maybe but no peat.
@@WhiskyMystery With all due respect, it's not "maybe", it's unpeated. As for barrel char, as far as I'm concerned "char" (i.e. carbon) is flavorless and is used in filtration (like in home water filters) to remove flavor, it's a subtractive factor in whisky production. It's a notion bourbon drinkers have come up with to distinguish one bourbon from another (not an easy task apples to apples) and to justify overspending on that spirit (which I very much enjoy). Cheers! 😁
It’s not peated but I do believe the water runs through peat bogs. This is tasted in the product and wonderful.
Chris Molloy char in a barrel is absolutely not flavorless. Char is not activated charcoal and caramelization is one of the most complex flavor profiles period usually represented by the brown sugar caramel flavors. It’s just science.
This is my LEAST favorite single-malt whisky of all time. It is a syrupy sugar bomb barely one step removed from Drambuie and I can hardly believe it isn't actually a liqueur itself. Subjective opinion aside, I don't disagree with the adjectives you repeatedly mention in the review: "fig, dates, raisins, caramel, chocolate", as well as comparing it to baklava and "cinnamon on a pastry" with "candy bar character". Yes, the finish lasts forever, but so does the finish on a spoonful of maple syrup, too. How you could mention Macallan in comparison is beyond me. I bought a bottle, and then I never bought another bottle, and I will never buy another bottle. For this money, I think one would be much better off getting Laphroaig 10, which is a true smoky, peaty Islay with a bit of sweetness, but to each their own
You are in the minority opinion on this one. Everyone I have ever spoken to LOVES the Bunnahabhain 12.
@@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies Yes, I noticed that in the comments. I just felt like the minority opinion should be expressed because I'm truly mystified over the appeal (or over why I can't stand it), especially since we seem to agree on others (Laphroaig, Lagavulin, etc.). I'm glad folks who have bought it are truly enjoying it, though.
James, how many single malts have you had at the point you made this comment?
@@EuropaWill I estimate I had about 50 to 75 different single malts at the time I posted, across a roughly 10-year period of drinking scotch whisky. From 10/15/18-year verticals of Speysiders such as Glenlivet and Glenfiddich as well as some more sherried offerings such as Macallan 12 and 18, smoky drams such as Ardbeg 10, Ledaig 10 and Lagavulin 16, to "outliers" such a half dozen different Springbank whiskies and one or two Lowland drams, I've had an extensive and well-rounded education in single malts (and a few blends as well). To this day, the Bunnahabhain 12 still remains my LEAST favorite, and perhaps the only one I would turn down. Perhaps I had a bottle from a bad batch, but it was truly that unpleasant for me.
@@Jaysthename Thanks for the context. There is no accounting for a person's preference in taste, though you may have had a bad example or you may have eaten something super salty prior to trying it. I've had the experience that if you "burn" your tongue with too much salt earlier in the day from a meal like salty soup or chips, that will alter your sense of taste for quite a while, up to a few days in some cases. I've noticed that when my tongue was in an over salt state, that all single malts tasted ridiculously sweet and almost syrupy. So it is possible this is what happened when you tried it, and you could have had the same experience with almost any other SM. Have you gone back and tried it again after a period of fasting for example? Fasting can really bring your taste buds online. I've broke many an intermittent fast with a tasting of scotch and oftentimes my smell and taste acuity is much improved.