Bunnahabhain Feis Ile 2024 Tasting Set (30ml x 2)

Bunnahabhain Feis Ile 2024 Tasting Set

• Bunnahabhain 14 Year Old Ruby Port Cask Feis ile 2024 Releasae (30ml, 58.7%)
• Bunnahabhain 19 Year Old Madeira Cask Finish Feis ile 2024 Releasae (30ml, 51.2%)

For the Fèis Ìle 2024 season, Bunnahabhain leaned heavily into their "unpeated vs. peated" dual identity. These two releases offer a fascinating contrast: one is a high-voltage, fruit-forward unpeated malt, while the other is a deeply matured, smoky "Mòine" powerhouse.

Tasting Notes

Bunnahabhain 14 Year Old Ruby Port Cask Finish Feis Ile 2024 Release | 58.7% ABV

Distilled on May 26, 2009, this unpeated Islay malt spent its first 11 years in Ex-Bourbon casks. It was then transferred on November 17, 2020, into Ruby Port Hogsheads for a substantial 3-year finish. Bottled at a robust cask strength of 58.7%, it represents a bold, jammy departure from the distillery’s typical sherry-focused profile.

• Nose: An immediate burst of dark chocolate and glacé cherries. As it opens, notes of raspberry jam, red cola, and caramelized walnuts emerge, balanced by a hint of toasted oak.

• Palate: Thick and syrupy. Intense spices like cinnamon and nutmeg lead into pain au chocolat and redcurrants.There is a savory undertone of tobacco leaf and leather that prevents the port from becoming too cloying.

• Finish: Long and warming with lingering cocoa powder and wood spice.

Why this bottle is special: While Bunnahabhain is the "Sherry King" of Islay, their Port-finished expressions are rare and highly coveted for their unique "red fruit" energy. The 3-year finish is much longer than a standard "flash finish," allowing the Ruby Port to deeply integrate with the creamy, malty DNA of the 2009 spirit.

Bunnahabhain 19 Year Old Mòine Madeira Cask Finish Feis Ile 2024 Release | 51.2% ABV

This is the "Smoky Sophisticate" of the 2024 festival. A heavily peated Mòine(Gaelic for "peat") expression, it was distilled in December 2004 and matured for 12 years in Ex-Bourbon casks before undergoing a massive 7-year finish in Madeira Hogsheads. This was a Distillery Exclusive release with a tiny outturn of only 881 bottles.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: A sophisticated tug-of-war between smoke and sugar. Dry peat smoke and sea salt are wrapped in sugared almonds, dried apricots, and tinned peach syrup.

• Palate: Heavy and "industrial" peat—think tar and soot—is immediately softened by the Madeira’s oxidative sweetness. Notes of warm fruitcake, hazelnut, and dark honey provide a rich, oily mouthfeel.

• Finish: Exceptionally long (some say up to 20 minutes). It fades into jammy red fruits, old leather, and a lingering campfire ash.

Why this bottle is special: This is arguably the "grail" bottle of the 2024 festival lineup. At 19 years old, the peat has mellowed into a complex, tarry richness, and the 7-year Madeira finish is almost unheard of in terms of duration. It bridges the gap between the medicinal intensity of Islay and the nutty, sun-drenched sweetness of Portuguese fortified wine.