Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 50%

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For the Whisky Ladies, next up in tour Bruichladdich Peat Progression evening was the Bere Barley 2008.

This is an unpeated whisky made from bere barley – an ancient Orkney barley that grows quickly despite the cool climate, with long straw, producing “desperately low yields – 50% less than a modern crop.”

It is Bruichladdich’s 3rd Bere Barley edition from the 2007 crop, harvested from the Weyland & Watersfield, Duncan Cromarty at Richmond Villa on South Ronaldsay, Keith Hourston at Skilbister in Orphir and Magnus Spence from the Northfiled Farms on Murray. The whisky was distilled in February 2008 and bottled in November 2014.

What did the Whisky Ladies think of the Bere Barley 2008 50%?

  • Nose – Sweet cammomile, lavender, very subtle, a bit rustic with a hint of oak, organic wheat and wet hay, curd that became ‘creamier’ as it opened
  • Palate – Initially a bit strong with a spicy tingle and slight raw quality, quite malty, then becomes quite smooth with a citrus twist and subtle saltiness, like the hint of a salty crust on a fresh french baguette, a drizzle of honey, becoming increasingly sweet – almost sugar cane sweet – chased by black peppercorns
  • Finish – Initially a bit of a raw burn then as it settles in, becomes quite sweet, fresh and clean… however as we continued to sip, the finish became increasingly bitter with a burnt caramel quality
  • Water – A must for this whisky! “Now I like it!” It brings out meadow flowers, a sunshine summer quality on the nose with a hint of eucalyptus, becomes quite smooth on the palate with a lovely spice finish

We found this whisky a bit deceptive… even without water, it begins to grow on you and you can’t help but find yourself continuing to sip… even the rustic quality becomes like a worn familiar friend.

Then when water is added it changes from “wallflower to belle of the ball!” taking on both a silky smoothness, more substance in a delicious package. Clearly one where a bit of water to open up transforms!

What do the folks over at Bruichladdich have to say?

  • Character – Elegant and sophisticated. The spirit is deceptively light concealing a depth of flavour rarely found.
  • Colour – Straw yellow.
  • Nose – Instantly floral. Delicate but powerful. Honeysuckle, yellow gorse and heather rise from the glass coaxed by a splash of spring water. As you inhale, the ancient grain surrenders malt sweetness fused with cooked apple and ripe rear, all this swathed in rich oak offering vanilla, heather honey and lemon zest. Displaying the skill of slow distillation and craftsmanship that created it this single malt is harmonious in its complexity.
  • Palate – The texture is that of honey, smooth and suave. Vanilla, brown sugar and zesty citrus stand tall as gentle waves of soft fruit apricot and peach are driven on by a Hebridean breeze filled with the scents of summer. Like a receding wave washes the sand clean your palate is refreshed by a spirit that is gentle and powerful, young and yet knowing.
  • Finish – Sweet soft and floral, continually pulling you in to release its secrets, to touch this single malt to your lips is a beguiling experience long remembered. A superior spirit skilfully created that has age beyond its years.
  • Mood – Enigmatic. Open yet secretive.

Our Bruichladdich Peat Progression evenings also featured:

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Bruichladdich The Laddie Eight 50%

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For our original tasting group, we kicked off our Bruichladdich Peat Progress evening with The Laddie Eight. We tasted blind, with the reveal only after all were sampled.. enabling us to focus only on what was in our glass.

What did the original group think of the The Laddie Eight 50%?

  • Nose – A sweet beginning, lemon citrus, blue cheese, a little sharp then became creamy, hay and grains, oily, complex yet fresh, a fruit basket then soft vanilla, then perfume, flower honey, mint chocolate, basil… from herbs to light salty baguette
  • Palate – Sweet tangy salty spice, very clean and fresh, bringing together all the aromas in a way that initially seemed very light yet as you kept sipping, revealed substance and depth too
  • Finish – Initially bitter, for some they thought it ‘short yet fulfilling’ then realized an echo remained and remained and remained…

The most remarkable feature was how the nose slowly unfolded… we took our time to wrap our senses around all the different elements… it was a wonderful whisky to ease our way into our evening… sniffing and discussing as we watched the sun set over the Arabian sea.

We also found this was one of the rare whiskies where the promise on the nose completely carried through on the palate. Those citrus, fruity, lightly floral aromas continued in a fresh way – like springtime, yet with a solid base.

We set this whisky aside, covered it, and returned to find the glass sweaty with condensation. Opening after initially a waft of sour curd, it revealed sweet jaggery, green apples, and pears, grated fresh coconut, old fruits… completely delightful! We came back to it even later and discovered overripe bananas… clearly a whisky to sip and enjoy at a leisurely pace.

One remarked it was like what they would imagine an unpeated Kilchoman could possibly taste like – a clear compliment as it came from a huge Kilchoman fan!

While it was not possible to side-by-side compare The Classic Laddie with The Laddie Eight – both had a vibrant freshness, were completely approachable, neither gave a hint of being 50%, and most important – either would be welcome anytime.

What do the folks over at Bruichladdich have to say?

  • Character – An elegant expression of Bruichladdich style. Super fruity and full of Atlantic freshness.
  • Colour – Lemon marmalade.
  • Nose – The opening notes are of fresh fruit, typical apple and pear slightly under ripe so characteristic of our spirit. Then pear drops apricot and pineapple in fruit syrup rise in the next wave. Vanilla oak is not far behind rolled in malted barley sugar and with a hint of straw. After a moment of warming the glass in your hand the floral tones of gorse and honeysuckle come through. The longer the whisky has to breathe the more you will find on the nose.
  • Palate – Spice gives way to sweetness as a pepperiness on the lips becomes mango and peach. Layer upon layer of oak from the variation of casks used to create this dram gives vanilla, lemon, honey, toffee and a creamy buttery texture and mouth feel. A second taste will bring hints of fruit, raspberry and strawberry for sure and a touch of citrus and orange marmalade. the complexity is a joy to taste as each style of toasting or charring of the barrels plays its part in bringing a depth of flavour you will be eager to explore. This dram has vitality, depth and mellow-ness all at once as the classic Bruichladdich DNA of soft fruit and floral elegance mix with exotic fruit from such a variety of amazing oak. The quality of our Scottish malted barley is evident as the sweet malt sugar holds all the fruit and oak together in wondrous harmony.
  • Finish – Fresh sea breeze, sweet floral heather honey and citrus bring this dram to a close, but like a typical island good-bye it’s not cheerio straight away, there is still a word or two to be had as the finish extends into the night with a long lasting vanilla note that doesn’t seem to end.

Our Bruichladdich Peat Progression evenings also featured:

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Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie 50%

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With a wee debate between our Whisky Ladies host and I, we decided to start our Bruichladdich Peat Progression evening with the Classic Laddie. We were both familiar with this whisky and thought it a rather enjoyable way to kick off our evening!

What did the Whisky Ladies think?

The Classic Laddie 50%

  • Nose – Fresh grass, wild flowers, light honey, sweet green grape, a light liquorice, freshly desiccated coconut, some sweet vanilla, sweet citrus zest
  • Palate – Light spice of the Christmas sweet spices variety but with a light touch, a sense of being quite ‘crisp’ fresh and inviting
  • Finish – Very warm and sweet
  • Water – Brings out more of the malt, sweeter, some found it became a bit bolder, greater focus whereas for others adding a few drops did very little to change its character

What was interesting is that it smells lighter than it tastes – one described it as being like having a ‘Hot rum toddy without the rum!’

Overall it was simply a terrific start to our evening and clearly one of those whiskies that is far too easy to drink.

Would we consider it a classic? Yes! And the kind of whisky you want to keep in your cabinet to bring out for a social evening with friends who appreciate a good dram. A nice sunshine summer dram!

What do the folks over at Bruichladdich have to say?

  • Character – Smooth as pebbles in a pool. It’s clean, fresh and lively with both the oak and the grain in perfect harmony.
  • Colour – Sunlight on fields of early summer barley
  • Nose – The bouquet is brilliant. Opening with barley sugar and a hint of mint before leading into the most wonderful notes of freshly cut wild flowers; buttercup, daisy, meadowsweet, myrtle, primrose and cherry blossom. The cleanliness of the spirit is remarkable. As the seconds tick by, more aromas rise from the glass, little zephyrs of spindrift and sea pinks reminding you that this spirit is matured exclusively by the sea. After some four or five minutes and with the addition of a little water, caramelisd fruits drift onto the scene; lemon drops and honey, tangerine and tablet
  • Palate – The palate entry is so refined and refreshing, the sweet oak and the barley arriving together sending the taste buds into raptures. The fruits from distillation drift in on an Atlantic breeze and pop on the tongue like champagne bubbles. A combination of ripe green fruit, brown sugar and sweet malt bring closure. A taste back in time, a realisation that not all single malts are equal and to achieve the absolute optimum, you must use barley that is made in Scotland. Make this one the benchmark for all others you meet on your journey through the stills of Scotland.
  • Finish – Unforgettable! Its best enjoyed in good company, you just don’t want the evening to end. It brings warmth to the heart and soul. The clock slows down and the cares of tomorrow disappear into the dawn. .
  • Mood – Conviviality! Relaxed, enjoying the spirit in the glass and the laughter from tales often told but never tired of hearing.

Our Bruichladdich Peat Progression evenings also featured:

You can also find Whisky Lady in India on:

A Bruichladdich Peat Progression…

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This was an evening much awaited! Planned back in early 2016 initially for January 2017 then postponed to May 2017… To say I was rather impatient waiting for this session is a bit of an understatement!

Now normally, we prefer to keep our sampling to 3 whiskies… however the idea of sampling two unpeated, two peated and two super turbo peated from the same distillery was impossible to resist! Particularly if that distillery happened to be Bruichladdich.

Our Whisky Ladies are made of sterner stuff and have proven we are up to the challenge! Hence the ‘birth’ of the Bruichladdich “Peat Progression”  evening…

As all but the Classic Laddie and Octomore 7.1 were my bottles, I decided to share with our original underground group too – just to contrast and compare what the Whisky Ladies thought vs another Mumbai malt club!

Then one our ‘whisky mules’ made his way to India just in time to substitute The Laddie Eight for The Classic Laddie for the original club’s line up…

Which meant the Whisky Ladies experience was with freshly opened bottles (except the 7.1) whereas the original club’s sampling was from open bottles (except The Laddie Eight) – which does change the whisky as it starts to oxidate even with a ‘vacu-vin’ trick to slow down the process.

Added to the mix was a follow-up tasting with two Whisky Ladies who could not make it to the main event but were not willing to be left behind our whisky adventures!

The tasting notes tell you as much about the whisky tasting sessions as they do about the whisky itself!!

Other Bruichladdich’s sampled include:

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Celebrating 30+ European whiskies!

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In the grand scheme of things, trying 30 whiskies is no big deal.

But when you live in India and those happen to be European whiskies… it is an accomplishment!

Let’s face it, exploring the world of whiskies behind a crazy custom’s “curtain” that restricts access not just bringing into India but state by state… means relying on individuals making an effort to source directly from far-flung lands rather than simply strolling over to a corner liquor store.

Hence it is indeed a celebration – with thanks – to share a summary of European samples! Now… just providing a list alone isn’t fun.. so with each, I’ve shared a fleeting impression so you can see what might peak your interest to read more…

European Whiskies  

Many of the Nordic whiskies came compliments of  from Whisky Saga – yeah to the #WhiskyFabric – it is a beautiful generous thing!

The Europe page is continuously updated as we explore more whiskies, so feel free to check back anytime to read of more!

PS – Anyone spot the ‘malted spirit’ rather than proper whisky??

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The elusive Longmorn 16 year 48%

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Once upon a time, a fabulous Mumbai based gal pal and I would alternate picking up a bottle of Longmorn 15 year then the 16 year as a reasonably affordable duty free dram. We certainly had a few good evenings spent over this whisky.

So it was only logical to consider acquiring a bottle to share with the Whisky Ladies. However… we COULD NOT track down a Longmorn 16 year. It had simply disappeared. All our various ‘whisky mules’ in far flung corners of the world also had no luck!

Until one rainy afternoon in Singapore I was on a quest for a fellow Mumbaiker for something else and found myself at Century Cellars. My eye spied a single Longmorn amidst a wide range of whiskies. The store manager admitted she had actually ordered it by mistake and it was the last bottle.

I immediately messaged my friend “You want?” (Knowing full well she was in the process of wrapping up life in India to move to Canada). And the answer after a few seconds consideration was “You bet!”

The thing is, when we pulled this out after the rather delicious Bowmore White Sands with the Whisky Ladies, it was simply too rough and I’m afraid it missed its mark.

So the bottle went home to my friend and I kept  a wee sample to revisit.

As the evening I pulled it out was unpleasantly warm, I first put my mini bottle in the freezer. Then poured a chilled dram and gave myself over to the experience… would it come close to the memories of amusing conversations with my friend about life, the universe and everything?

Longmorn 16 year 48%

  • Nose – A bit woodsy, fresh spice, bourbon, as it opened but took on a lovely custard and lightly fruity minty quality
  • Palate – Initially comes on strong, with spice and an alcohol ‘oomph!’. Then starts to reveal light crisp fruits like apples and pears, cinnamon toast, alternating between sweet and a chewy bitterness almost edging on a hint of tobacco leaf or peat, some spice, it has substance, perhaps not entirely balanced but enough elements to make it interesting
  • Finish – Wood, a bit of bitter chocolate, dry…

Yes it initially comes across as a bit rough, but as you settle in giving it more time to open up, it becomes more and more enjoyable. I had enough in my sample to let it sit and found after 15 minutes or so it became much fruitier with oranges, capsicum, a curl of light leather and overall significantly more approachable.

And with a dash of water? Any roughness gone completely. Lots of fruits, even berries, from a dram that initially was a tad unbalanced, every element came together in harmony.

In short, if you rush it – you will completely miss what makes this actually more than just a decent dram. This is one to wait, give a bit of time… While there is nothing overly fancy, there is much more going on than at 1st appearance with the lovely chewy spicy fruity dimension that is most enjoyable.

Let’s be clear… this is the ‘old version’ not the ‘reinterpreted‘ version. From traditional brown to purple boxes… I was rather amused to walk into Singapore airport after feeling victorious in tracking down the elusive Longmorn 16 year to see its new avatar proudly displayed – with a significantly steeper price tag!

And the memories? Yes… this whisky will always be associated with my friend who is now happily in the process of getting settled in Canada. So it was worth saying a final whisky farewell with the Longmorn 16 year!

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Royal Brackla 16 year 40%

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After our miniatures trio, we decided to change things a little… and moved our attention to a Royal Brackla 16 year – simply as it was open and I’d never tried. Reason enough!

Royal Brackla is better known as a component in Dewar’s or Johnnie Walker… however like many whiskies is now stepping out of the blend shadows to show off its single malt avatar to the world.

This was my 1st encounter… and what did we find?

Royal Brackla 16 year 40%

  • Nose – Balsa wood, a bit dry, then shifts into wet forest, mushrooms, whiff of being on an old boat with a bit salty mouldy moisture. After time takes on a light banana cream pie,
  • Palate – Smooth, ginger spice, almost like a tic tac freshness
  • Finish – Not much to speak of…

Overall? It was initially difficult to get past the ‘watered down’ sense that comes with many 40% whiskies. There also is certainly nothing particularly ‘regal’ about this whisky….

However when the tantalizing aromas of food wafted our way and we could resist no longer… we made a terrific discovery. This was a food whisky – something easy to drink that goes well with nibbles.

Our conclusion? Put it in the category of “bar and food whisky.”

And there is certainly space enough out there for such dramsl!

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Ben Nevis 19 year (1996/2016) Cask No 871 45.1%

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After two teasing whisky flights of 20 ml each at The Single Cask in Singapore, it was time to have a full and proper dram.

To narrow the choices, I by-passed “smoky” or “sweet” to settle on “salty”… as a contrast to the mostly lighter drams we’d just sampled…

And the choice? A whisky from Ben Nevis distillery bottled by The Single Cask. This distillery joins the lot which were opened then closed and re-opened again – in Ben Nevis case – re-opened in 1991 under the new owners – Nikka.

Ben Nevis 19 year (09.07.1996/16.06.2016) Cask No 871 45.1% Bottle 6 of 68

  • Nose – Salty – not sea breeze but more leather with salty caramel, as it opened up took on a sour curd quality
  • Palate – More chewy, soft spice, character
  • Finish – Bit of smoke and spice, with a nice milk chocolate at the end

A few drops of water brought out the spice and a much longer finish with sweet cinnamon.

Apparently this whisky came from a leaky cask, hence why there were only 68 bottles.

What also makes this out of the ordinary for Ben Nevis is that it was matured in bourbon not sherry casks.

And the best part? It was paired in a truly spectacular fashion with a salty caramel chocolate – locally hand crafted and absolutely the perfect accompaniment!

My earlier whisky flight experiences can be found here:

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Minis – Inchmurrin Madeira Finish 46%

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My host and miniature sipping cohort unabashedly admitted this particular bottle was picked up purely because of the distillery name – Loch Lomond – and its association with a fictitious whisky that would regularly make its appearance in Tintin comics as a favoured drink of Captain Haddock!

Regardless of inspiration, it was good to have an opportunity to sample an Inchmurrin with Madeira finish!

Loch Lomond actually produces whiskies under a range of names – Craiglodge, Croftengea, Inchfad, Inchmoan, Old Rhosdhu – of which Inchmurrin is only one and known for only containing whisky from the pot stills with rectifying heads.

Loch Lomond is also a relatively newer distillery – 1st opened in 1966 – with the ability to produce both malt and grain whisky plus use three different types of stills – two traditional pot stills, four ‘Lomond’ stills and one column still.

And what did we find?

Inchmurrin Madeira Finish 40%

  • Nose – Instant iodine when freshly opened that quickly disappeared to reveal dry cherry wood, cranberries and sour red cherries, became increasingly sour but not in a bad way – more tart than anything else
  • Palate – Surprisingly soft light cherries, sharper if you took a big swig, yet overall fruity
  • Finish – Light sweet spice

Overall we decided this is a ‘day drink’, not complex, not challenging, yet it was also edging on being refined and feminine.

We thought perhaps it may be a whisky to enjoy in a hot climate when in the mood for something veering towards sour rather than saccharine sweet. The light cherry quality was actually quite appealing in its own way.

In this case, the underlying light whisky did get a nice ‘boost’ from being finished in fortified Madeira wine cask…

What do the folks over at Loch Lomond have to say?

  • Nose – Fresh citrus orange bursts on the nose giving way to almond marzipan comes through with nutmeg.
  • Palate – Velvet smooth and welcoming on the tongue. Fruity character of peach and fig is overlaid with rich butterscotch and delicate walnut.
  • Finish – Long finish, dry grape tannins and oak, lingering nuttiness.

What did we try in our miniatures session?

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Minis – Glengassaugh Torfa 50%

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This particular peated Glenglassaugh and I had a rather unpleasant 1st experience two years ago…. hence I deliberately decided to keep an open mind to try again and see – better, ok or gasp! worse??

What did we think of the Glenglassaugh Torfa 50%?

  • Nose – Smoke – quite acrid then more ash, cured meat, salty, sour, dish rag
  • Palate – Sweet, oily, a bit chewy, then peat, a little cinnamon spice slipped in and it became increasingly sweet
  • Finish – Like chewing on a cinnamon stick, dry, peat

As we found Evolution benefited from being set aside and revisiting, we did the same with the Torfa. All we got was peat, sweet and spice.

In principal I like the idea of having a nearly cask strength whisky i.e. 50%. I also enjoy a good peated whisky too.

And.. at least this time I didn’t get cleaning solvent as I did back in 2015!!

Perhaps I need to wait another 2 years… or more… and see what these folks come up with.

However, for now, while happy to revisit and certainly not the disaster I remember from two years ago, it simply isn’t my kinda dram and I’m not going to be running out to buy anything from Glenglassaugh anytime soon.

What do the folks over at Glenglassaugh have to say?

At Glenglassaugh, in addition to the traditional production, we also produce a very limited quantity of whisky using richly peated malted barley as the cereal varietal. The malted barley has been dried in the traditional way, over peat infused kilns, giving the whisky its unique smoky flavour. Glenglassaugh ‘Torfa’, with its peaty, phenolic nature, is a unique expression, and is quite different to the usual style of whisky produced in the Highlands.

  • Colour: Gleaming yellow gold.
  • Nose: Vivid, sweet, sooty campfire smoke and sea air infuses zest of lime, apricot jam and ripe soft fruits; all gently warmed by hints of stem ginger and cracked black pepper.
  • Palate: An eloquent, sweet coastal peat smoke engulfs candied peel over melon, pineapple and roasted red apples. Oat biscuits, hints of heather honey and a gentle cigar box spice all combine to give a terrific balance to the expressive smoky character.
  • Finish: A heady, yet elegant, harmony of distinct coastal peat and striking spiced fruit flavours.

What else did we try in our miniatures session?

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