Bunnahabhain 28 1989 Berry Bros. & Rudd (Skotchtoberfest #4)

I was born in 1989 so if there’s a chance of trying a birth year bottle from a distillery I like in a sample I’m going to get it. That’s the case here and it’s in this year’s Skotchtoberfest lineup, wrapping up the Bunnahabhains. Upcoming are a few Tobermorys and a Ledaig, followed by a fun little journey through the components in Rassay’s blend and their first two batches.

Bunnahabhain 28, 1989 Vintage, Berry Bros. & Rudd, Islay Single Malt, 45.1% ABV

Minutia: Distilled in 1989 and matured in cask number 6087 for 28 years and bottled in 2018. Enjoyed neat in a glencairn.

Color: Old gold; 0.6.

Nose: Initially light fruit, then honey, wood. Zest. Malt.

Taste: Honey in tea with a kick, honeydew, kiwi, a bit malty.

Finish: Malt and tropical fruit, hint of wood and spice, Medium-long.

This is a nice and light dram, but with substance. The tropical fruits were nice, particularly on a day while it’s still warm enough here. They were a bit unexpected as it’s been a while since I’ve had a Bunnahabhain from this era and at this age, and what I generally associate with that is a chocaltey malt flavor, particularly in the finish, and some notes that are maybe almost a bit like hops. A fun dram

Score: 84

Musical Evocation: Gwen Stefani – “4 in the Morning”