BUNNAHABHAIN TRIO FOR FEIS ILE 2022

 Unveils Three Limited Edition Releases In Celebration Of Feis Ile 2022

Bunnahabhain has revealed the first three of its special limited editions that will feature prominently at this year’s Feis Ile. These are the Abhainn Araig, 1998 Calvados Cask Finish and 2004 Moine Tokaji Cask Finish.

Bunnahabhain Day at Feis Ile will be celebrated in whisky markets across the world, through a series of online and in-person events at the distillery on 3 June 2022. Islay's most remote distillery has announced an exciting Feis Ile 2022 programme as it opens its distillery doors to festival fans for the first time since 2019 as well as revealing the first three of its special limited editions.

The Bunnahahbain Day events (June 3) will be celebrated around the world and have been specially curated by the team at the distillery, led by Distillery Manager Andrew Brown, alongside Master Blender Julieann Fernandez and Master Distiller Brendan McCarron. This trio will all be on hand to guide whisky lovers through the distillery's diverse portfolio of internationally sought-after expressions through masterclasses, warehouse tastings and distillery tours as well as a Facebook live tasting.

The distillery has also released a collection of limited-edition expressions in honour of Feis Ile, including: Abhainn Araig, a non-age statement marriage of Bunnahabhain spirit, 2004 Moine Tokaji and 1998 French Calvados cask finish. For those participating in Bunnahabhain Day, the team will also have a few surprises in store, with exclusive details on another new limited-edition product to be revealed live during the Masterclass tasting.

Abhainn Araig or ‘Araig River’ in English, is a river located on the isle of Islay. This feeds in to the Margadale River, the pure spring water source for all Bunnahabhain whisky. The Araig water is vital to the production process at the distillery, feeding cooling water for the condensers.

The Whiskies

Abhainn Araig is a marriage of Bunnahabhain spirit that has been matured in ex-Bourbon casks and ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry, octave casks, made from the finest specially seasoned European oak. These highly concentrated Octave casks were hand-selected to push the boundaries of sherry maturation. Not all whiskies stand up to full maturation in sherry casks, let alone specially seasoned octaves. Bunnahabhain, however, really stands up to this challenge. This special, limited festival whisky is quintessentially 'Bunnahabhain' - unpeated, sherried, bold and complex. It is bottled with natural colour, non-chillfiltered and with an ABV of 50.8%.

Interestingly, this was actually the first whisky that Master Distiller Brendan McCarron tasted when he joined Bunnahabhain in 2021 on his first visit to the distillery following his appointment! This will be available in markets across the globe.

Nose: Chocolate, powdered ginger and cigar box.

Taste: A velvety rich texture , initially creamy milk chocolate then sweet raisins and dried raspberries. As the PX develops balsamic vinegar and honeyed macadamias come through.

Finish: Deep and rich, with dark toffee and a final spicy burst of cinnamon.

1998 Calvados Cask Finish. Distilled on the 28th of October 1998, this exceptional limited edition 1998 Cask Finish has also been bottled in celebration of Feis at 49.7% ABV. This bottle has slumbered peacefully for two decades on Bunnahabhain's shores. On the 11th of November 2019, it was then transferred into casks that once held sweet and fruity French Calvados Brandy to finish for almost two years. Tawny in colour, this dram contains notes of barley sugar, pear drops and toffee apples on the nose, and green apples, pear candies and toffee on the palate with a lingering floral finish. This will also be available in markets across the globe.

Nose: Barley sugar, pear drops, toffee apples. Followed by a burst of dates and a floral top note like conifer trees.

Palate: Sweet and fruity, lots of green apple and pear candies. Some signature cereal, oily notes of Bunnahabhain and more toffee mixed with dried fruits. Finish: Spicy powerful then floral on the palate.

Available exclusively at the Bunnahabhain distillery and on Bunnahabhain.com, the Moine Tokaji finish is the strongest of the three, bottled at 52.5% ABV, and is produced using Bunnahabhain Moine, meaning 'peated' in Scots Gaelic. The perfect balance of smoke and sweetness, the 2004 Moine Tokaji was finished in casks which once held the finest Hungarian Tokaji white wine. Caramel in colour with touches of white sugar, sandalwood and citrus on the nose, the palate features smoky vanilla pods, white chocolate, lemon zest and pear, with the sweetness of the Tokaji drops leaving notes of freshly sawn-oak wood. 

Bunnahabhain 2004 Moine Tokaji Cask Finish (RRP£199) will be exclusively available from the distillery visitor centre and Bunnahabhain.com. Abhainn Araig (RRP £95) and Bunnahabhain 1998 Calvados Cask Finish (RRP £400) are already available from some specialist online whisky retailers such as Hard To Find Whisky.