Bunnahabhain Aonadh 10 Year Old Scotch Whisky
Bunnahabhain Aonadh 10 Year Old is a cask-strength celebration of unpeated Islay — a 2011-vintage marriage of port-finished and sherry-cask Bunnahabhain bottled at 56.2% ABV in a limited run of 14,088 bottles. "Aonadh" (Gaelic for "union," pronounced "oon-ouch") was filled into cask on a single day — 7 February 2011 — and bottled in April 2021 with no chill filtration and no added color. This 750mL US bottle is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 56.2% (cask strength)
- Size: 750mL (US bottling)
- Age: 10 years — distilled Feb 2011, bottled Apr 2021
- Casks: port-finished malt married with sherry-cask malt
- Style: unpeated Islay single malt, natural colour, non-chill filtered
- Run: limited to 14,088 bottles
The Union of Port and Sherry Casks
Bunnahabhain is Islay's outlier — an unpeated, sherried style on an island famous for smoke — and Aonadh leans into that identity. The port-finished component brings red-fruit depth while the sherry casks add dried-fruit richness; together they explain the deep auburn colour, achieved without a drop of caramel. At full cask strength this is a whisky built for the patient: a few drops of water open it dramatically.
Tasting Notes
Deep auburn. The nose offers rich creamy vanilla with brandy butter, caramel, indulgent berries, and a subtle hint of oak. The palate is sweet with red and black fruits complemented by cinnamon spice, roasted nuts, and a slight saltiness at the back. The finish is long, with fading spice reminiscent of chilli chocolate and hints of floral candy.
How to Enjoy
Start neat in a nosing glass at 56.2%, then add water a few drops at a time — the port-and-sherry fruit blooms as the strength drops. This is a connoisseur's bottle, and it sits comfortably among Del Mesa's Scotch whisky and limited single-cask Islay offerings from Bunnahabhain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Aonadh" mean? It is Gaelic for "union" — a reference to the marriage of port-finished and sherry-cask Bunnahabhain in this bottling.
Is Bunnahabhain Aonadh peated? No — it is the unpeated Bunnahabhain style, rated 0/10 for smoke.
What is the ABV? 56.2%, bottled at cask strength.
How many bottles were made? 14,088 bottles from the 2011 vintage.
Limited Islay cask-strength releases don't wait around — order Bunnahabhain Aonadh 10 Year Old online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA, while bottles remain.