ralfy review 931Extras - My Journey with Bunnahabhain.

[@zoranavgustin2486]

We Love Ralfy even here in Slovenia. Utterly agree, one never get tired of listening him. Ralfy, would Love to hear more about lowlanders!

[@johnw1597]

The other day, my wife asked me which celeb I'd like to go for a drink with most. Without hesitation I said "Ralfy!". Now, she didn't understand, but give me an evening sipping top quality single malt and chatting rubbish all evening, over a stale conversation with some 'Love Island contestant' ANY DAY! haha. Cheers mate, take care.

[@andreasesser4641]

Personally I'd go with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnie has a Pony named Whiskey. So that's a good sign.

[@carlossandiego7925]

I could listen to Ralfy go on about anything for another hour easily.

[@robfut9954]

Ralfy, it sounds to us that based on your videos over the years that your father was a big influence on your whisky journey. It might be a great extras (or even a book) to explore that relationship more. These links are huge in our lives and very important

[@joethebar1]

I had bunnahabain 18 two Father’s Day ago. What a revelation of a whiskey. It holds a special place to me- nothing I’ve tried had that complex flavour profile

[@SteveLinGuitar]

Ralfy! I've been watching you since your very early KZbin days. Early enough I even got a malt mention. I bought Bunnahabhain and Black Bottle based on your recommendation back all those years as I began my malt journey and I loved both bottles. I haven't bought the new Black Bottle, thanks to your review. My most recent Bunnahabhain as of 5 years ago also didn't live up to the one 10+ years ago, so I totally agree with you. Thank you for your videos!

[@triplecap4307]

I've been drinking Bunna for decades myself, and still have an 18 in the "stash" - but on the older side. We visited about 5 years ago and the staff was absolutely fantastic as we just dropped in and got a personal mini-tour with samples gratis. I really just wanted to see the stills and they are big! I finished a 12 about 6 months ago and I thought it was still nicely made. It's sad to think that they have dropped off. Cheers Ralfy.

[@RyanBellMusic]

I love your storytelling. I see why your books have been so successful. 👍🏻

[@thedraminator6103]

Outstanding information Ralfy absolutely loved the video thanks me boy. God bless you and yours.

[@willgander8965]

Greetings from Aotearoa(New Zealand) Home distilling is totally legal here for personal consumption, I moved from Ireland almost 5 years ago and was very surprised to find it so. I was delighted and got myself a second hand still. I have made some good, interesting gins with local botanicals and I'm in the process of my first rum. Love the reviews and opinions!

[@andyarmstrong1175]

Nice one! Enjoyed the blackbirds in the background too! 😁👍🇬🇧

[@orb505]

I've had a recent bottle of the 12 year and enjoyed it immensely. Although I've drunk whisky for years my journey of "proper" ones is relatively fresh.

[@grantgallagher8592]

buna haben, bunner habits, bona have been, booner haben, booner habit, kill Karen, kill Sharon, kill Kevin, punahab, like a villain, buna haven, bona haben, bona having, bhunahab, bonus. Simply wonderful efforts by the voice to text software there. Brilliant, and a great little Ralfy fireside chat. Thank you as always! G

[@wout_s]

After seeing your comment I immediately watched this video again with the cc on. Absolutely hilarious. So don't forget, 'our big' is often heavily painted! And as always thanks to Ralfy for a great video.

[@madpete6438]

The law here in NZ has not changed and does not look like it will. It can make for interesting gatherings when 3 or 4 people turn up with their personally distilled treasures. Most is complete rubbish. For clarity (Not for you Ralfy, for the people of the world), we can grow our own tobacco and brew/distill our own alcohol TAX FREE so long as it does not leave the property. This is a great deal if you put in the effort. Be well my man.

[@ThyCorylus]

Never knew this, good to know!

[@madpete6438]

@@ThyCorylus Charm of living in Paradise - also we are so far away from everything the crappy international stuff rarely gets here.

[@barryhamilton7845]

I've just finished a bottle of Bunna 12 ,and I can honestly say the miniature I tried that I bought about six year ago and drank recently tasted better than the big bottle I've just finished.

[@madpete6438]

My lady and I had come to the same conclusion - and after making the decision to never buy Bunnahabhain, because it was soooo disappointing, 4 months ago.... then I see why it was so bad. Oh well.

[@Hogibaer]

Hi Ralfy, a quick reply from a german.... Your assessment is partly right as the majority of 'bottled for Germany' casks are at least ok to good, some very good indeed. However as germans - maybe more than many other countries' folks - really really dig dark sherried and heavily peated Scotch whisky, 1. prices are going up accordingly with almost instant secondary market pricing in first market (online) shops, and 2. while the quality for newbies at least seems good, the young age remains and many bottlings are foremost flashy but rather seldom balanced in flavor and very rarely what we would call elegant or overly complex. E.g. a (comparatively) good independent bottling of Ben Nevis 7 yo from a dark sherry cask by Signatory @46% abv. will easily set you back 85 EUR at retail or close to 100 EUR a short while later. Certainly a flavor explosion, but if you have been around for 1½ decades that's certainly nothing you need more than a few of in your collection if I am being honest. Signs of the times I guess and perhaps time to vote with your money and depend a bit of one's reserves. Oh, ... and good Cognac like Vallein Tercinier Hors d'Age for a change. :-)

[@russell3733]

Hi Hogi, yep, as another feeder off the German market I can confirm all of your points - those are identical with my experiences recently. I'm patiently waiting for the German love affair with overly sherried malts to die a natural death through over-abundance. If that means - in the meantime - that we can get our hands on some criminally ignored good quality ex-bourbon matured bottlings, then all to the good! Cheers.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . you present a good observation.

[@kpprivate1]

The worst Bunna I ever had was for the German market. Sansibar, a NAS at 46%, went down the sink.

[@russell3733]

@@kpprivate1 Now that really is criminal. You could have at least used it for cooking!

[@kpprivate1]

@@russell3733 I might have offloaded it in a blind tasting to my whisky club...

[@peterboth6785]

Ralfy you are absolutely right. I've got into single malts around 2012. Before that I thought I hated whisky based on the pesh they were selling in supermarkets overseas. I was introduced to some really lovely ones (in the UK). Over the years I found my own favorites and stick to single malts for a decade. Lately, I am very disappointed. The quality of many of my favorit malts deteriorated immensly while their price went up insanely. Thanks for introducing some very delicious malts to me. But I am afraid I'll be buying a few bottles for old times sake and then I switch completely to rums. It was a great malt journey. Tough times ahead.

[@sundowner62james69]

Yep , enjoyed the little monologue.

[@billyp8675]

Whenever I have Bunna I enjoy it. But then whatever I drink after it seems better. I dunno could be luck of the dram. Love your extras!

[@TheDancroft]

I don’t comment often but as someone new to spirits in general I wanted to thank you for your honest criticism and urging people to seek malternatives. I may have been stuck in a whisky echo chamber if it wasn’t for your videos. I still do enjoy the whisky’s you recommend as well.

[@jamesw6403]

Do you remember the days when you could pick up a Bunna 12 in the UK for around £20 a bottle and thought that was expensive 😂😂

[@craigd123]

I remember when bread cost 2p

[@steviestevie6868]

@@craigd123 YA OLE B*STARD 🤩 I recall when 20 cigarettes was 1 shilling and ten pence...... ooooooops

[@graemeyoung5280]

THANKS so much Ralfy. I could listen to you preach my friend to this choir all day long. Couldn’t agree more about Bunnahabhain commentary. Love it and as always , couldn’t agree more with your sentiments! Cheers 🥃🥃🥃🥃

[@joestarkie5597]

Staggeringly good work Raiphy.Very infomative

[@ronanmcconnellable]

In three different bars in Port Ellen, when I asked the barman/barlady to choose their own favourite dram - they went without fail, went for Bunna 12.

[@WhiskeyFancies]

You make great points. Now I have to determine what I should bunker for a rainy day...

[@hoodwiser7652]

I wonder if, for one of your extras Ralfy, you’d perhaps consider talking about/discussing the wide variety of distillery’s available through independent bottlers - specifically which distillery’s via independent bottling are worth looking at, and which ones are best avoided (in a previous video you mentioned independent bottlers tend to pick Strathmill casks last, for example, which is good information for the consumer to know). The sheer abundance of choice is one reason why I haven’t bought more independent bottlings as it’s just impossible to know which ones are worth going for.

[@degmar]

Amazing how often you tell us about your buying and selling activities while also ranting against collectors. Good job.

[@farshadp6114]

Greeting Mr Ralfy, very informative and fun to listen. I have a great bond with this distillery, my first ever single malt was Bunnahabhain Cruach Mhona which I bought it from duty free at the airport and left it in the cabinet for the day that I felt happy again after my divorce. It took me almost 4 years to bounce back and when I moved to a new house , I opened it and it felt so good. Still have it half empty but certainly very sentimental. The tequilalady reminded me of my partner girl friend, I btought a bottle of Glenfarclas105 and she asked me for cherry liquor. 😆😆 Regarding Getman market, I will ask Horst Luning 😉 He always gets free whiskies.

[@mamuka1977]

I agree with all your points, I really enjoy Bunna but prices are definitely up significantly (12yo around $60) people become more knowledgeable they watching reviews ,they are trying to pick and choose what's the proper bottles they want to spend money on , producers and distributors also watching, I absolutely knew after online whiskey awards that Arran 10 Will be more expensive and it is on average about $15 more. I agree cost of producing quality whiskey went up but sometimes it's just greed and they do know most people are still going to buy it. Thank you for all your knowledge it's always great to watch you.

[@carlubambi5541]

one issue is supply and demand .the other issue is quality of supply .Some companies think they can sell whatever they have based on past reputations and they end up shooting themselves in the foot .They should not be releasing substandard product but they do .it's an unscrupulous practice .

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . totally agree.

[@kpprivate1]

There's a bunch of overstrength Signatory Vintage Bunnna bottlings all from around 2010 that are around 67% or so. Apparently it's from when Burn Stewart was broke so they filled whatever they could at still strength instead of watering down to 63.5% - you can find Deanstons and Tobermorys at this strength too. I was really looking forward to trying them - but they're hot and horrid, and don't take water well. My moral of the story is SV is no silver bullet - don't buy SV blind but try to try it first.

[@ralphwatten2426]

Thanks for the little tour of your Bunnahabhain collection. I'm about half way in my bottle of Bunna 12 and am liking it. I see that my local store has some 2 different Ardbeg bottles other than the 10. I think I'll go that way. I've really liked the 3 bottles of Ardbeg that I've had so. So I, I, me, me off to Ardbeg I go. P.S. ralfy, I'd really like to have a nip of that Signatory Bunny. Aren't you curious?

[@TheReal_DeanD]

Well I’m glad I stocked on the older bottlings of Bunnahabhain 12 and 18 year. I have a couple of Signatory Bunnahabhain bottlings but they’re 6 years old and the pricing on those is getting high. Close to $90 USD for them.

[@jonathanflowers472]

Very interesting thoughts. This fits with what Ian MacMillan discussed on Roy's vPub last year. I feel they are still coasting off his achievements with Deanston and Bunnahabhain... It has been 8ish? years so we will see how things change.

[@easer777]

I feel that the Bunnahabhain 12 (< which I bought on Your recommandation....!!! ;- ), is a bit new-make like, or high-cut like (< or is it low-cut....? ;- ), definitely far more sharp in it, or "spirited", than what I remember it to be, quite Glenfiddich like....

[@thewhiskybadger174]

I just wanted to mention that Lady of the Glen (indi bottler) has been putting out some wonderful Bunnahabhain bottles the past couple of years. What I have and have seen are around 9 or 10 years old. Good Bunna is always a solid find.

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . I agree with you.

[@johnnybear9400]

Fantastic Ralfy. Loved this wee trip down memory lane. I've had many a half and a half in the Park Bar (steak pie's good too 🤣)

[@glytch5]

Loved black bottle. I worked at a bottle shop and watched it get discontinued. It was super cheap too!

[@Caliban_80]

Haven't been disappointed by a Bunna yet. I'll be on the lookout for the independents!

[@russell3733]

As Hogibaer says here in this thread, the German market has its own problems to deal with. I don't think we're necessarily getting higher quality cask offerings over here, I think we're getting smothered in the almost black, coca-cola coloured sherry monsters. Whether those casks were originally good or just mediocre is probably less to the point, we're being inundated with unbalanced whiskies which people are buying simply as "dark" eye candy. That doesn't automatically lead to an increase in quality. In my opinion, it just encourages those independent bottlers who whack their 7 to 9 year old whiskies into any number of different finishing casks (normally the darker the better, from their point of view) and saturate the market with the stuff because there's a fast buck to be made. It makes you hang your head in shame at times! Cheers.

[@jonison6847]

So true. So many otherwise half-decent (but usually immature) whiskies ruined by the "sherry top" treatment. Sometimes it works, but usually it doesn't. Cheers!

[@billvenhaus8026]

Ralfy!, Great Review. I need a cheaper version of Bunna 12. Need advice! Malt journey continues....... Until now not an Islay fan, but love bunna 12.

[@ErikWaitWhiskyStudies]

"Got any tequila mate?!" Well, if you taste Mezcal you might think it was Tequila from Islay!

[@bandicootman]

had to do a double take when you did the new zealand name drop. now i see your referring to the home brew not a cheeky poke at the still it channel as my first guess was. i for one am not for the home brew spirits, tastes dreadful and so cheaply made for one and with a couple of distilleries getting there start in nz now im more intrested in seeing what they do. o and thanks for helping discover deaston, glenallchie, killkern and arran. all great favourites that im eagerly collecting. next is glencadam on the hunting list

[@davidhoward7691]

Single Malt Scotch will always be my favorite but with rising prices I find myself exploring more Bourbon and American Malts. The prices are creeping up here as well but it seems to be a little more approachable still.

[@ssd1874]

Perfect timing for me had several 12 year old overthe years bought 2 again early January £33 bargain and halfway through one now a slight change a wiff of peat maybe but still excellent was just about to order the 18 but will now look to adding to my Glencadam collection which has given me so much pleasure many thanks for all the wonderful advice there you go now you know 🍻

[@matthewagius6188]

When you talked about your regular pub in Partick, I always assumed you meant the lis mor.

[@scottsando8827]

I came to Scotland a few weeks ago expecting to make a Whisky purchase. I was soon put off when I I was expected to pay £10/20 a bottle more than south of the border.

[@simongilbert2704]

your bang on .. i drank the remains of an older bunna 12 at a friends and was impressed , bought one a few months ago, what a load of dishwater . all the more reason to stick with SMALL indie bottlers . = as they cannot afford to mess up .;;; just as long as the big boys allow them to buy casks ...

[@Bigpete9000]

We need a beer and whisky review eposide ...

[@Leucade78]

I love the birds sounding in the background. Hearing the description of the future, for the whisky, that you have started to mention several videos ago; I have started to create my own reserve with with the best whiskys that have arrived to Argentina, through the Argentine Whisky Museum (soon to be named the biggest in the world), like Aberlour, Arran, Bruichladdich, Caol Ila, Clynelish, Glenfarclas, Glenmorangie, Glenfiddich, Kilchoman, and so on; trying to avoid blends, and double or triple casks of main trademarks. I'm expecting that more brands like Bunnahabhain and others, arrives soon, but it's difficult. In the meantime, can you check for a new distillery from Tel-Aviv called M&H (Milk & Honey)?, it will be great if you get a bottle from them to review it. Cheers!

[@jamesangus7253]

Just in reference to your last comment regarding pricing. I've been saying for a while that more producer in world whisky are wanting to get into the UK. The price and quality of some stuff from Australia, India, France, Ireland, Israel, Taiwan etc is superb. With price of scotch whisky going and the quality isn't matching that price if I was a distillery/brand from overseas I'd be wetting with excitement about bring over a good quality bottle which can match scotch whisky but represent better value. I may not buy another peated scotch whisky as I can buy a bottle of say Amrut Fusion which is just brilliant stuff and is better value than any peated Caol Ila or Ardbeg. Your thoughts?

[@Encrust]

Gas prices are high yes, but we have to find a sustainable way of producing this thing we all love so that we can all continue to love it? Not sure what that is, but I doubt it's beyond our capabilities.

[@footloose20005]

10:12 that laugh is extremely contagious, it makes me laugh every time

[@GS-rb8lq]

Really wonderful talk, best entertainment. Greetings from southern Bavaria with a better quality bottling in my hand 🤓 When whisky will be only for the rich, we still have our stash.

[@Im_Old_Gregg]

I really hope this whisky boom we've had the last decade or so dries up quickly. I'd like to get back to being able to buy quality whisky without giving up an arm for it again

[@tomgibson9620]

Once bought a Bunnahabhain Darach Ur, 1l travel value Batch 1 for about 30 €/$/£ you name it. It was a decent Whisky. … a year ago I looked up the eBay price for it 👨‍💻 It’s a strange world, but there is still plenty of effordable scotch single malt out there.

[@Gamescommentary]

I'd say another reason distilleries have a high sale price over the last 10-15 years is because of loose monetary policy and cheap money that was created to keep business expansion going.

[@dessertigel]

Nice video again Ralfy! I just think the part with Germans being fussy is changing a bit (apart from the general high tolerance of sulphury casks^^). And this is due to these very fussy Germans (you could call them the older guys) having already moved on to Armagnac and Cognac as drinkers. What's left is a new, quite young German generation of whisky people, who tolerate the absurdest wine finishes way too much. Well, not me...so hopefully that's just a short period during the current whisky boom 😉

[@davet7185]

Ahhh.....Youngers No.3; a man of taste Ralfy. I get quite wistful about many a beer from my past. Thoroughly enjoyed your journey highlights etc. on the Bunna trail Ralfy. Good whisky is arguably wasted on those with excessively fat wallets. Let's hope there's no forthcoming drought eh?

[@theboyheedmackay2229]

I heard a rumour that there is a shortage of Hydrochloric acid which is a problem for distilleries. They use it in the cleaning process. Not sure if it will overly effect the consumer now or in the future.

[@johnburns3703]

You are quite right, Brits get the dregs and Germans and |Americans are so feared due to the size of their markets!

[@kpprivate1]

On the energy intensive front, no love for Bunna's biomass energy plant you can't miss if you go visit it now that means its distillation process is already carbon neutral?

[@radiantinred]

Youngers No3 --- now you are talking. Cafe Royal Bar - Edinburgh. Bring it back !!!!

[@10lauset]

.. Cheers to you ..

[@RichardHowells1234]

Enjoyed the monologue ralfy 😄 Good stuff Why no dram btw?🤔😘Aģape

[@robfut9954]

They might fudge batches per region on high end bottles, but on the other hand I feel corporations are far too lazy to bother organizing such a task on anything of volume. If anything we are seeing years of bad batches right now because the crazy demand. Good time to dump a year of bad casks

[@johnburns3703]

Be good if you did one about buying a cask? been approached by a company desperate to sell me some!

[@KaranSingh-xt5bz]

Dear Ralfy, last year in December I bought a bottle of J&B 'exception' 12 year old blended malt. It's an amazing whisky, lovely flavour and very smooth but I've never seen it elsewhere. Has it been discontinued ?

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . .I have never seen it around, so no idea !

[@Flow-Joe]

I'm from germany. In the (relatively short, roughly estimated ~3 years of my) journey i never had a horrible malt. But some underwhelming. As a fellow countryman described already, i also love heavy sherry and peat monsters. Therefore i have already tried a product of every (currently active) islay distillery and bought a bottle of most (currently active) Islay disilleries at least once. I often get miniatures with orders and it has been a Bunna 12 at least 5 times. I always felt it was underwhelming and never bought a full bottle. I can't trace back, if they were all from the same batch, but they have been much more than a year apart, so don't think it's that (very popular online shop). It might just be my peronal taste, but bunna is the worst of all the Islays for me. And it's not that i could tell, that there was something obviously wrong with it. Just a bit underwehelming. That doesn't mean it's bad. Suggestion and marketing (which also doesn't appeal to me) can easily screw with your head. If every other distillery, producing peaty malt, would suddenly vanish, I would be happy to have them. Interpret that info as you wish. I honestly can't tell if it's a quality issue or just my taste.

[@JR-nl3mh]

Brilliant, as always.

[@HerbertDuckshort]

Ralfy to give up touring? Only studio albums from now on.

[@simonsherratt1484]

Might be like the Beatles, start producing his best material

[@peter.stimpel]

the distillery I missed to visit when being on Islay, shame on me!

[@Thomas_Ekstrom]

Ralfy, what brands would you say have a bit of more traditional ”old school” type of whisky?

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . Glencadam and Edradour.

[@enzot6283]

I thought the new 12 yo cask strength was lovely.

[@jujtan5412]

Anyone find deanston & bunnahabhain very similar in profile? Especially the sherry expressions.

[@digitaldemocracyai-rob]

yes. Deanston bit more malty for me. Redbreast 12 close too.

[@michaelgonzalez347]

Ralfy, do you think the prices will ever come back down? I don't think it will happen but one can dream. I did enjoy this monolog about Bunnahabhain. Thanks

[@thewhiskybothy]

. . . no.

[@davemacdonald5359]

Wonder who is breaking law in NZ .I know it is very expensive (nz whisky) as most single malts are well over $100 NZ dollars and not to many that have a age statement . Most is out of my range no way no how its a bit of a shame would like to try more NZ whisky . And then to go on a tour cost you a arm and a leg no not for me.

[@steveh.3370]

Ralfy, maybe we should remind the politicians that eliminating natural gas will eliminate their whisky.

[@MilesOnTheCorner]

Wonder where this guy is now. And if he’s a subscriber these days.

[@scoobtoober2975]

I knew having dual fuel for any process is mandatory. Because of these shenanigan's. Switch to wood burning mates. It is not as bad as the pipelines being on fire burring resources. Love me a Smokey malt

[@heartbroken522]

at first I thought the local market will get most of the best batches releases due to the assumed fact that no one should know scotch better than Great Britain ppls. Then European market like Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium.... Isn't it a shame to leave ur own ppls some not premium products and export the best to foreign countries…

[@johnburns3703]

Nae big deal but play this back with sub titles- you'll push yersel! (that's funnier after you've re-watched it!

[@rhodes1591]

… 🙏🏻

[@gcbrain2933]

Dear Ralfy. Heads up, the stashes are full so not to worry.

[@stihlnz]

I'm not try to blow smoke up ..... But there's no one with the history that you have Ralphie and long may you push the distilleries to produce better stuff.

[@swedishburrito5073]

🥃❤️👍

[@JR-nl3mh]

Steampunk Fan Club

[@danadair1349]

..........and then there's The States, where they'll beat a muhfuggah with another muhfuggah......

[@ottowalter6102]

Nah, German here, we are not fuzzy, we are cheapskates.

[@robertrogers7755]

First!

[@ACHUNDOI]

Sent you a link on Instagram regarding bunnahabhain being sold in Taiwan 40% and filtered... worth 10min time...