Tasting Date: 2021-03-22
Region: Scotch Whisky – Islay
Type: Single malt
Age Statement: 5 years
Size: 750ml
ABV: 59.5% ABV
Cask Type: Oak Casks
Distiller: Bruichladdich Distillery
Location: Bruichladdich, Distillery, Isle of Islay PA49 7UN, Scotland
Bottler: Bruichladdich Distillery
Purchase Location: Sample from a friend
Purchase Date: 2011 – I got my sample in March 2021
Cost: Free ($600.00 on secondary market)
Tasting Notes From The Bruichladdich Website:
NOSE: Blazing peat fires send sparks of joy onto the unsuspecting olfactory system captivating and ravishing the senses which have never had such natural pleasure. Now they are aroused, thrilled, stimulated and in awe of the strength and youth of the spirit. The barley is shimmering, the oak mellowing, the fruits bursting, the Atlantic squalls detonating. The peat smoke smouldering, the sea mists swirling, the heathland hedonistic; welcome to the aromatic world of the hand made, heavy peated, slow distilled, maritime matured single malt.
PALATE: The texture of the spirit is endless, super smooth. On entry it is absolutely sensational; it’s like “Wow”! Don’t worry you’re going to be ok, I promise – the initial palate presence is one of juniper oil, peat smoked barley, salted biscuits, light iodine, crushed cinnamon, then on the second phase the citrus flavours of grapefruit, tangerine, honeyed lemon together with the sweetness of pear & pineapple add a whole new dimension to the complexity of the spirit. The fruits balance the marine notes; the oaky nutty ginger flavours combat the peat and the citrus helps cool the heat of the fire. Perfect balance.
FINISH: The heat from the peat embers will warm the soul into the wee small hours and as you awaken next morning your senses will ask: “Did that really happen?”, hoping with all your heart that it will happen again.
Colour: Cadmium yellow / jasmine
TransparentSmoke Review: A burning wash of warm flushes across my chest as I attempt to swallow this smoke filled spirit down. My soul seems to battle with the invisible smoke monster inside. I think I hear the crackle of hell fires and smell well done BBQ ribs, the strangely sweet brown sugar seemingly floating in the air. To be fair it must be stated that this bottle was opened in 2011 and then left closed for the better part of a decade until I coerced a sample from his hands, it does nothing to reduce the overwhelming front and centre 169ppm of the Smokey peat smell.
I was told this was only $140 way back in 2011, but that it was well worth it to taste the most heavily peated whisky in the world at that point in time. If he had kept it sealed, or if we were able to track down another. It would be worth close to $600.00 Canadian today. It would have been a great investment, because as it happens, he doesn’t like heavily peated whiskies that much.
Bottle 15973/18000
Our Score: 84/100
Bottles on Hand:
