Bunnahabhain 1989 / 34 Year Old / Cask #5891 / Connoisseurs Choice Upper Islay Whisky

Jorge Castillo — Elegant old Bunnahabhain

8/10

This is what unpeated Islay does when you give it three decades in a good cask. Honey, walnuts, and a salty maritime note on the nose that kept me coming back to the glass. Neat is the only way to drink this one. Lovely stuff, though I wish the finish lingered just a bit longer.

Marcus Blackwell — Elegant old Bunnahabhain

8/10

This is what unpeated Islay does when you give it three decades in a good cask. Honey, walnuts, and a salty maritime note on the nose that kept me coming back to the glass. Neat is the only way to drink this one. Lovely stuff, though I wish the finish lingered just a bit longer.

Ravi Krishnan — Elegant old Bunnahabhain

8/10

This is what unpeated Islay does when you give it three decades in a good cask. Honey, walnuts, and a salty maritime note on the nose that kept me coming back to the glass. Neat is the only way to drink this one. Lovely stuff, though I wish the finish lingered just a bit longer.

Adaobi Eze — Beautiful but hard to justify the price

7/10

Look, it's a gorgeous dram. Toffee, stewed apples, gentle brine — classic old Bunnahabhain character. But nearly a grand is a lot of money and I've had bottles at half the price that got close to this level of complexity. I'd buy a pour at a bar before committing to a full bottle.

Henrik Larsen — Beautiful but hard to justify the price

7/10

Look, it's a gorgeous dram. Toffee, stewed apples, gentle brine — classic old Bunnahabhain character. But nearly a grand is a lot of money and I've had bottles at half the price that got close to this level of complexity. I'd buy a pour at a bar before committing to a full bottle.

Priscilla Nunes — Beautiful but hard to justify the price

7/10

Look, it's a gorgeous dram. Toffee, stewed apples, gentle brine — classic old Bunnahabhain character. But nearly a grand is a lot of money and I've had bottles at half the price that got close to this level of complexity. I'd buy a pour at a bar before committing to a full bottle.

Annika Svensson — One of the best Connoisseurs Choice releases

9/10

I've tried a fair few Gordon & MacPhail bottlings and this is up there with the best. The sherry influence is present but restrained — fig, raisin, polished oak — and it lets the distillery character shine through. Thirty-four years and it still feels lively. An absolute treat neat.

Maxwell Green — One of the best Connoisseurs Choice releases

9/10

I've tried a fair few Gordon & MacPhail bottlings and this is up there with the best. The sherry influence is present but restrained — fig, raisin, polished oak — and it lets the distillery character shine through. Thirty-four years and it still feels lively. An absolute treat neat.

Wei Zhang — One of the best Connoisseurs Choice releases

9/10

I've tried a fair few Gordon & MacPhail bottlings and this is up there with the best. The sherry influence is present but restrained — fig, raisin, polished oak — and it lets the distillery character shine through. Thirty-four years and it still feels lively. An absolute treat neat.

Sophia Laurent — A whisky that rewards patience

8/10

Don't rush this one. I sat with it for over an hour and it kept changing in the glass — started with honey and vanilla, then moved into darker territory with espresso and dried figs. The coastal undertone ties it all together. Not the peatiest Islay you'll find but that's Bunnahabhain for you, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Marcus Chen — A whisky that rewards patience

8/10

Don't rush this one. I sat with it for over an hour and it kept changing in the glass — started with honey and vanilla, then moved into darker territory with espresso and dried figs. The coastal undertone ties it all together. Not the peatiest Islay you'll find but that's Bunnahabhain for you, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Idris Ibrahim — A whisky that rewards patience

8/10

Don't rush this one. I sat with it for over an hour and it kept changing in the glass — started with honey and vanilla, then moved into darker territory with espresso and dried figs. The coastal undertone ties it all together. Not the peatiest Islay you'll find but that's Bunnahabhain for you, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Astrid Nilsen — Proper old-school Islay

8/10

Picked up a sample from a friend and I'm glad I tried it. There's a lovely waxy quality with dark chocolate and orange peel, plus that subtle sea-salt thing Bunnahabhain does so well. At 47.3% ABV it sits perfectly on the palate without being hot. Really well balanced for its age.

Nia Okafor — Proper old-school Islay

8/10

Picked up a sample from a friend and I'm glad I tried it. There's a lovely waxy quality with dark chocolate and orange peel, plus that subtle sea-salt thing Bunnahabhain does so well. At 47.3% ABV it sits perfectly on the palate without being hot. Really well balanced for its age.

Yuki Nakamura — Proper old-school Islay

8/10

Picked up a sample from a friend and I'm glad I tried it. There's a lovely waxy quality with dark chocolate and orange peel, plus that subtle sea-salt thing Bunnahabhain does so well. At 47.3% ABV it sits perfectly on the palate without being hot. Really well balanced for its age.

Felix Moreau — Good but not great for the age

7/10

Had this at a tasting last month. It's pleasant and certainly complex — some nice nutty notes, dried apricot, a touch of smoke hiding in the background. But honestly at 34 years old I expected it to blow me away and it just didn't quite get there. Solid whisky, just not the knockout I was hoping for at this price point.

Haruki Sato — Good but not great for the age

7/10

Had this at a tasting last month. It's pleasant and certainly complex — some nice nutty notes, dried apricot, a touch of smoke hiding in the background. But honestly at 34 years old I expected it to blow me away and it just didn't quite get there. Solid whisky, just not the knockout I was hoping for at this price point.

Camila Ortiz — Good but not great for the age

7/10

Had this at a tasting last month. It's pleasant and certainly complex — some nice nutty notes, dried apricot, a touch of smoke hiding in the background. But honestly at 34 years old I expected it to blow me away and it just didn't quite get there. Solid whisky, just not the knockout I was hoping for at this price point.

Farah Abboud — Silky and coastal

8/10

Nose is all rock pools and beeswax, which I absolutely love. On the palate you get Christmas cake, toasted almonds, and a long gentle finish with a pinch of salt. I added a few drops of water and it opened up even more. Single cask #5891 is a cracker.

Jake Morrison — Silky and coastal

8/10

Nose is all rock pools and beeswax, which I absolutely love. On the palate you get Christmas cake, toasted almonds, and a long gentle finish with a pinch of salt. I added a few drops of water and it opened up even more. Single cask #5891 is a cracker.