Bunnahabhain : 16 Year Old Sherry Butt Cask N°1299 Orcines 2007

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Bunnahabhain 16 Years Old Sherry Butt Cask N°1299 Orcines 2007

Pairings and Tasting Occasions

This 16-year-old single cask is ideally suited to a contemplative tasting, preferably late in the evening or at the end of a meal, to fully appreciate the aromatic richness expected from a long maturation in a sherry butt. The cask strength version is best tasted neat at first, then with a few drops of water added gradually to reveal its different layers, while the 46% ABV version can be enjoyed as it is, without further dilution. A tulip-shaped glass, such as a Glencairn or copita, served at a temperature slightly below room temperature (around 18-20°C), will help concentrate the aromas; a few minutes of rest in the glass are recommended before the first sip. At the table, this style of sherry-matured Bunnahabhain pairs naturally with desserts featuring dried fruits, dark chocolate or caramel, with hard, aged cheeses such as a well-matured Comté or Cheddar, or with fine, lightly smoked charcuterie.

Mixology

Given the rarity of this single cask and its positioning as a premium single cask bottling, it is best enjoyed without embellishment, neat or with just a dash of water, in order to preserve the integrity of its maturation. The version reduced to 46% ABV could, as an exception, find its place in a classic cocktail such as an Old Fashioned, but this type of cuvée remains above all intended for contemplative sipping rather than everyday use in mixology.

Bunnahabhain 16 Years Old 2007: an Islay single malt from a unique sherry cask, signed Orcines

Bunnahabhain, the maritime Islay distillery with a singular style

Bunnahabhain is a Scotch whisky distillery founded in 1881 on the north-east coast of the Isle of Islay, on the shores of the Sound of Islay. Historically geared towards blends, notably for Black Bottle, it gradually established itself as a single malt in its own right from the late 1970s onwards. Supplied by water from the Margadale and equipped with the tallest pot stills on Islay, Bunnahabhain stands out for its predominantly unpeated profiles, a preference for maturation in sherry casks, and a policy of non-chill filtration with no added colouring. Today, the distillery belongs to CVH Spirits, a structure created following the integration of Distell into the Heineken N.V. group, while retaining its maritime and artisanal identity, which is well recognised by enthusiasts.

The Bunnahabhain 16 Years Old Sherry Butt Cask N°1299 Orcines 2007, a single cask single malt

The Bunnahabhain 16 Years Old Sherry Butt Cask N°1299 Orcines 2007 is a single malt Scotch whisky from the Islay distillery Bunnahabhain, distilled in 2007 and fully matured in a single sherry cask, sherry butt no. 1299. This cask was selected by The Whisky Lodge, the house behind the independent bottling brand Orcines, created in 2011 by the Tissandier family. True to its philosophy of showcasing exceptional casks, Orcines chose to offer this whisky in two distinct versions from the same cask: a carefully judged reduction to 46% ABV and a natural-strength version, known as cask strength, both bottled in 2023. This choice allows enthusiasts to compare two expressions of the same single cask, one more accessible, the other more concentrated.