12 Year Old release matured in equal split of Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks
Bunnahabhain, described as Islay’s most remote distillery, has unveiled the latest edition of its annual 12 Year Old Cask Strength release. The limited-edition whisky is bottled at 55.8% ABV and priced at £90.
The release brings together whisky matured for 12 years in an equal split of first-fill Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks. It delivers notes of dried fruit, gentle spice and chocolate, balanced by vanilla, honey and toasted coconut sweetness from the bourbon casks.
The distillery said the cask combination marks a change in direction from the sherry-led 2025 edition, bringing a sweeter, creamier character to Bunnahabhain’s signature style while retaining the rich fruit and spice the distillery is known for.
According to the distillery, the whisky offers raisins, figs and dates on the nose, alongside honeyed vanilla, cinnamon and clove. The palate is said to deliver stewed fruits, toasted coconut and gentle spice, followed by a long finish of dried fruit, dark sugar and oak.
Julieann Fernandez, Master Blender at Bunnahabhain, said: “Our annual Cask Strength release is a chance to show Bunnahabhain in its purest form. The whisky’s character comes from the spirit itself, the casks and the place where it matures and, at cask strength, those characteristics are amplified. You get the richness and fruit we’re known for, alongside gentle spice and that subtle coastal freshness that comes from maturation at Bunnahabhain.
“The 2026 edition has a lovely balance between that richness and freshness. On the nose, there’s ripe orchard fruit, dried apricot and hazelnut, with gentle spice and a touch of coastal freshness. The palate brings sweet malt, dried fruit and sherry, with warming spice underneath, leading to a long, elegant finish of oak spice, dried fruit and maritime freshness.
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“There’s nothing quite like tasting whisky straight from the cask. It’s one of the real privileges of being a Master Blender. Sharing that raw, unfiltered experience with fellow whisky lovers is something I never take for granted.”
The distillery said the 2026 release is bottled at natural cask strength, without chill filtration or added colour, and stays true to Bunnahabhain’s unpeated house style while delivering greater depth and intensity.
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old Cask Strength 2026 Edition is available now, priced at £90 for 70cl, from bunnahabhain.com and specialist whisky retailers.
