The Octave - Bunnahabhain 9yo (The Spirits Embassy Exclusive) & The Octave - Bunnahabhain 10yo

The Octave - Bunnahabhain 9yo (The Spirits Embassy Exclusive)

Region: Islay

ABV: 53.8%

Price: £78.00

Distilled in 2014 and matured for nine years in an oak cask, then given a 4 month finish in a reconstructed ex-sherry octave, this peated Bunnahabhain was bottled in 2024 as an exclusive release for The Spirits Embassy. Just 92 bottles were produced. 

Nose

The nose opens savoury and a touch yeasty. Plain hand cooked crisps, freshly baked but slightly burnt rolls, cigar ash, salted peanuts and a hint of plasticine. With air come thyme, basil, sweetcorn, lemon juice, maize and a hint of charred wood. There’s very little alcohol bite here, and even with the octave finish the distillery spirit still shows through clearly.

Palate

The palate has much the same notes as the nose. Salted peanuts, croissants, back bacon and orange peel stand out. Raw ginger spice makes an appearance on the medium finish. The peat is quite restrained. It feels like it’s teasing us which is surprising given the age. The mouthfeel has a pleasant texture and a little weight. With air caramelised brown sugar appears on the finish with that ginger spice. We’re getting less from the sherry octave than we were expecting. 

Nose (with water)

The nose is meatier now with gammon joint, streaky bacon, bacon crisps and a hint of warehouse funk. That lemon juice note intensifies, while’s that burnt roll note lightens, icing sugar surfaces and a peppery alcohol tingle appears, but we’re not finding off putting. The peat feels more savoury now than ashy.

Palate (with water)

The spicy finish has become more palatable. While the mouthfeel thins slightly but stays respectable. Ash carries through from start to finish. That caramel sweetness is more noticeable, joined by a hint of musk and fudge. The medium finish has a better balance of peat, sweetness and spice.

Conclusion

A good young peated Bunna that benefits from a splash of water. Not overly complex and certainly not a peat bomb, but the flavours work well together and the finish is satisfying. Good dram, even if the octave finish doesn’t really seem to add much.

Score: 7/10

Value

£78 for a single cask, cask strength Islay exclusive feels reasonable in today’s market.

The Octave - Bunnahabhain 10yo

Region: Islay

ABV: 54.3%

Price: £95.00

Distilled on in 2014 and matured for ten years, with the spirit spending its final 3 months in a Pedro Ximenez octave cask, this peated Bunnahabhain was bottled in 2025. Only 100 bottles were released. 

Nose

The nose opens with a pleasant butteriness Werther’s Originals and hot buttered crumpets. Behind that Cadbury Fudge Fingers and brown sugar, are quickly joined by faint chemical note reminiscent of chlorine. Some burnt wood and light spice appear with patience.. The PX octave is more noticeable here than on today’s other review, but again the peat makes less of an appearance than expected. 

Palate

There’s a bit much upfront spice, but once it subsides we find runny honey, icing sugar, homemade lemonade, and cracked black pepper. Mouthfeel starts promising for a second, but then thins out, leaving the dram feeling a little flat. Patience brings out dark chocolate bitterness. Medium finish with ashy, and burnt peat finally making itself known. Enjoyable enough, yet a little one dimensional.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose reminds us of a dusty attic. There’s also strawberry Chewits and orange marmalade, the nose is now flatter and more one dimensional. Given a little more time and a faint meatiness surfaces alongside milk chocolate, but overall it’s lost a little something.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate has seen water tame the spice and increase that icing sugar sweetness while dialling back the bitterness. Other pre diluted flavours remain consistent. The mouthfeel also survives dilution, and the medium finish remains unchanged.

Conclusion

The undiluted nose and diluted palate would be our preferred combination, but given we can’t have that we’d probably opt to add a few drops of water. That turns this into a perfectly drinkable dram, that’s just lacking something to lift it beyond being middling.

Score: 6.5/10

Value

A little on the pricey side, given it’s only a year older than today’s other offering.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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