Signatory Bunnahabhain 45 Year Old 1978 - 2023 42.6%

This 1978 Bunnahabhain was hand selected by Andrew Symington to be bottled to mark Signatory's 35th Anniversary. The whisky was bottled after 45 years in am Oloroso Sherry Butt at 42.6%. 

90+ Points on Whiskybase

Nose: quite different, much more classic. Nice red apples and berries mixed with plums, raisins and almonds. Then hints of cigar boxes and unlit cigars, some coffee and whiffs of damp earth. Gingerbread and cinnamon pastry too.

Mouth: starts on rich hints of walnut oil and spiced plums, some earthy notes and of course tobacco leaves. Drops of robust cognac before it moves towards coffee and dark tea. Once you swallow, there are these aromatic flashes of bergamot and herbs, albeit less ‘funny’ than in the other 1978. I’m guessing it is a cask thing, but in this case the sherry covers most of it.

Finish: not very long but elegant and never too dry, on earthy notes, tea, a whiff of cask smoke, walnuts and cocoa.