Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old: The Unpeated Islay — Coastal, Nutty, and Sherried at 46.3% Non-Chill-Filtered

Item: Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old: The Unpeated Islay — Coastal, Nutty, and Sherried at 46.3% Non-Chill-Filtered
Rating: 8
Author: Joe Whitfield

Joe Whitfield April 10, 2026 1 views

8 /10

EDITOR

Distillery: Bunnahabhain Distillery
Type: Scotch
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 46.3% ABV
Price: £42

Tasting Notes

Nose

Fresh and sweet — floral hints, seaweed, rich malt, dried fruit, caramel, chocolate orange, apple poached in cinnamon, the coastal Islay character without peat

Palate

Soft and supple — nutty sherried qualities, vanilla, marmalade, sultanas, bright coastal element, the 46.3% NCF delivering full body and texture, the sherry cask adding dried fruit richness

Finish

Mochaccino — dried herbs, Christmas cake spice, balanced salty tang, the coastal character persisting, satisfying and moreish

First Impressions

Bunnahabhain — 'boo-na-ha-venn' — sits at the northern tip of Islay, facing the Sound of Jura. Unlike its heavily peated neighbours, Bunnahabhain uses unpeated barley, producing an Islay whisky defined by coastal, nutty, and sherried character rather than smoke. Since the 2010 relaunch: 46.3% ABV, non-chill-filtered, natural colour.

Tasting

The nose is sweet with chocolate orange and cinnamon-poached apple. On the palate at 46.3%, nutty and sherried with marmalade and coastal brightness. The finish is mochaccino with Christmas cake spice and salt.

The Verdict

Bunnahabhain 12 earns an 8 — proving Islay is more than peat. The unpeated coastal character with sherry richness creates something uniquely Islay yet completely different from Ardbeg or Laphroaig. At £42, one of Islay's best values.

Where to Buy

Master of Malt
£41.39

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The Whisky Exchange
£42.95

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Joe Whitfield

Editor-in-Chief

Joe has spent over fifteen years immersed in the whiskey industry, beginning his career at a Speyside distillery before moving into drinks journalism. As Editor-in-Chief at Whiskeyful.com, he oversees...