We continued exploring the full range of the new La Maison du Whisky Artist # 8 with a trip to Islay with a whisky from Bruichladdich.

Now I am no stranger to Bruichladdich! In Singapore, the most memorable Bruichladdich sampled til date was at Whisky Live Singapore 2016’s Collectors Room – with the 15 year “Royal Wedding H.R.H. Prince Charles” (1965/1980) 52%!

Here in Mumbai we’ve had the most memorable Peat Progression Evenings and even explored their PC MP5 trio.

However I will admit none attained the venerable age of 25+ years.

So what did my teasing sniff and swish at Whisky Live Singapore 2018‘s VIP room reveal?

Bruichladdich 25 year (1993/2018) Hogshead Cask #1640 46.9%

• Nose – Earthy, hay, organic… think wandering around a farm on a warm summer day, a bit of salty minerals, sweet grass, orchard fruits and even a bit herbal too
• Palate – Sour, soft, very natural, more of that organic quality…. everything on the nose followed through on the palate in a nicely rounded way
• Finish – Light pepper spice, some nuts and ends a bit sweet

This wasn’t an easy romping dram, it was one that I would have preferred to slow down and get to know a bit better. However with only a teasing sip, it was not enough to do justice.

So what do the folks at La Maison du Whisky have to say?

• Nose – Slim, fine. With a lot of freshness, the first lets us contemplate with rare acuity a field of barley. Rather salty, it is also imbued with medicinal tones (mustard, camphor). Its airiness is so beautiful that it raises enthusiasm. Gradually, vanilla and some yellow fruits (pear, apple) give replica to very fragrant plants (rosemary, savory). The aromatic palette is a marvel of balance.
• Palate – Both delicate and lively. Not in rest, the attack in mouth also takes height. Very fond and juicy (pear William), it is also vanilla and lemony. The middle of the mouth makes us smell the heady perfumes of geranium and red fruits (strawberry, raspberry) that escape from a tank in full fermentation. The end of the mouth evokes the zucchini flower.
• Finish – Long, serene. In the same fermentary register, it is milky (coconut, almond). Increasingly saline, it extends on notes of salicornia, pig ears and more autumn flavors of chestnut and liquorice. The retro-olfaction comes back on red fruits and more particularly raspberry. The empty glass is medicinal and peppered.

—-From LMdW website with an imperfect google translation from French.

La Maison du Whisky Artist #8 sans Sherry

• Benrinnes 20 year (1995/2018) Hogshead Cask #9063 49.4% (279 bottles)
• Glenturret 30 year (1987/2018) Hogshead Cask #371 55.3% (214 bottles)
• Caol Ila 15 year (2003/2018) Hogshead Cask #302465 54.2% (282 bottles)
• Ardmore 10 year (2008/2018) Cask #800168 60.3% (233 bottles)

Just a few past explorations of Bruichladdich whiskies include:

• 15 year “Royal Wedding H.R.H. Prince Charles” (1965/1980) 52%
• Black Arts 4.1 49.2%
• Bere Barley (2008) 50%, The Classic Laddie 50%, The Laddie Eight 50%, The Organic Scottish Barley 50%, Rocks 46%
• Port Charlotte Scottish Barley 50%, 8 year 2007 CC:01 57.8%
  • PC 10 year MP5
    • Cask #0005  (2005/2016) Virgin Oak 63.5% 
    • Cask #0013  (2005/2016) Bourbon/Bordeaux 59.9% 
    • Cask #1999  (2005/2016) Fresh Bourbon 56.9% 
  • PC 12 Oileanach Furachail 58.7% & PC 12 year Sherry Cask No 622, 61.1%
• Octomore 5_169 59.5%, 7.1_208 5 years PPM 208 59.5%, 7.2_208 5 years PPM 208 58.5%

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