Tag Archives: Bruichladdich

Whisky Live Singapore – Collectors Room

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Whisky Live Singapore has a special ‘Collector’s Room’ where the unique, rare and exclusive whiskies reside.

2016-11-12-whisky-collectors-room

Which ones did we chose?

Then had a bonus Bruichladdich 10 year 58%.

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Whisky Live Singapore – Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1

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One of the special treats from Whisky Live Singapore was an opportunity to sample whiskies I could otherwise never try.

One of the highlights was the Bruichladdich booth with many delights… the pinnacle of which was the mysterious marvel from Master Distiller Jim McEwan otherwise known as ‘Black Art’. The thinking behind this bewitching series is the alchemy of art and science, a secret recipe concocted by the master distiller, without divulging the magic behind the art.

Photo: Bruichladdich.com

Photo: Bruichladdich.com

Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1 23 year (1990) 49.2%

  • Nose – Honey sweet, warm sunshine citrus and much more…
  • Palate – Gorgeous, very well rounded, stunning, smooth as silk
  • Finish – Beautiful ripe fruit sherry finish

This was not a bold brash Bruichladdich but instead a something that contradictorily was both a soft, delicate delight, beyond beautiful while equally being rich, deep and sinfully smooth.

I must confess, my wee nip did not do it justice. This is not the whisky you want to ‘speed date‘. This is the kind of whisky you want to savour and enjoy, either solo or sharing with friends.

Here is what they say:

  • Nose – The aromas rise and mingle beautifully creating an olfactory symphony in your hand. Little notes of rich, plump, crystallised grapes flirt over heavier notes of honey. Go deeper and you will find the tang of lemon and lime – This is the DNA of our Bruichladdich spirit; the terroir of ancient peat lands and Islay’s exposed coastline, living, breathing proof that magic really does exist.
  • Palate – Without water the first thought that enters my head is wow! This is strong and my cheeks flush, my eyes water but my heart is in heaven. Its so, so mellow and mature and yes, you can find all of the aromatics on the taste buds and more!!! I get chocolate and coconut, tangerine and papaya and a wonderful infusion of barley sugar with a pinch of cinnamon and aniseed. Completely mesmerising.
  • Finish – Grilled peach and apricot sprinkled with demerera sugar, quite outstanding.
  • Mood – Drink whenever you wish, with whomever you wish. The last to leave will be the angels who danced with the devil and won.

PS I had a wee ‘sneak peak’ sip of the Black Arts 5.1 – What a stunner! Full of dry, fruit that became juicier the longer one sipped, a burst of rich fall colours and closed on a dry spice. For me, 4.1 was summer and 5.1 autumn. Both remarkable whiskies and a treat to taste – even if just a sweet nip!

A few other Bruichladdich whiskies sampled include:

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Singapore “Speed Dating” Whisky…

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Singapore may be expensive as far as whisky purchasing is concerned, however it never fails to deliver a new discovery.

There are some terrific night spots to nip into for a whisky flight (or two) – The Auld Alliance, Flagship and Quaich.

There are always unique offerings at La Maison du Whisky.

Even Changi Airport is no slouch as a spot to sample something novel with its range of whiskies from everyday duty-free to airport exclusives to a special “I have way too much money” collection upstairs…

So what did my August 2016 Singapore trip have in store?

It began with a pilgrimage to La Maison du Whisky…

I stopped by early, well in advance of 6 PM ‘sampling’ time to pre-select options more or less under SG$200, less readily accessible elsewhere, not a repeat of any previous drams and could spark conversation from our fellow samplers back in Mumbai.

After a bit of careful thought, Priscilla sprung into action and began pulling out a few… checking some possibilities that I declined… to come up with a diverse shortlist. My sampling companion arrived and we began our final selection process by “speed dating” each whisky with quick short nips.

Puni Italian Trio

We began with a trio from Italy. Yes… Italy. We compared (right to left):

Puni Nova Bourbon Cask 43% 

  • Matured in American and European oak casks, initially seemed just grains, flowers, honey and vanilla… relatively standard on the palate.
  • In short, dismissed as not terribly interesting… but after the others, we found ourselves drawn back… then it really began to grow on us… for a young whisky, it has something quite enjoyable and attractive for a lighter dram.

Puni Alba Limited Edition 43%

  • Limited edition, uses barley, wheat and a locally grown rye matured from six months to three years in oak barrels that previously contained Sicilian marsala, Pinot Noir from South Tyrol and Zibibbo from Pantelleria.
  • And the result? Interesting, definitely interesting, but also oddly schizophrenic… simply didn’t seem to know what direction, here there or where?
  • Was it a light romp or storm the bastions? No balance between the sweet and spice elements like a cocktail with too many ingredients.

Puni Alba Marsala Islay 43%

  • Matured in Marsala and Islay casks, initially attracted attention – quite different with its pronounced cloves, range of fruits, peat, tobacco and nuts.
  • However like a one trick pony, we kept waiting for more… then reached back to the Puni Nova as the more drinkable dram!

Bruichladdich 1990 24 year

Next up was Bruichladdich 1990 24 year 56.5%

  • I was pre-disposed to fall in love… after all this was a special bottle for LMDW from a distillery that produces a rather interesting range of whiskies…
  • Eager anticipation, I took the first few whiffs…. and sip… And had the opposite reaction.
  • Harsh cloves cinnamon no softness… thin rather than layered and robust
  • Perhaps it needed time to air, a few drops of water or simply more consideration possible in a quick sample however didn’t pass the taste test… and in fairness, not all whiskies do… some simply require patience and attention not possible when “speed dating”

W+M Sherry + Sansibar Islay

We then moved on to two independents without the distillery disclosed:

Wilson & Morgan “Highland Heart” Sherry Cask Malt 2006 43%

  • As you would expect from a sherry, lots of delicious stewed fruits, a distinctly winey quality yet accompanying this was also a richer nutty dimension that brought you back for another nosing again and again
  • On the palate it was mellow, smooth and seemed to have many more layers than we could properly discern in a small taster… overall left you with the impression of an eminently drinkable dram

Sansibar Islay 8 year 52.5%

  • Sansibar are new independent bottlers from Germany and a first for me!
  • Unlike some who disclose minute detail about the cask, here the approach is different sharing only that it comes from a single cask, aged 8 years (2007-15) with 330 bottles…. and the rest? Up to you to guess!
  • We quickly pronounced it a fine specimen of an Islay malt
  • Compared it with the distillery official bottling – no doubt which WE preferred!

Wolfburn

Wolfburn 46% Batch #2

  • As a new re-entry, this distillery has been on my radar and considered in London with rather honest advice “It is still quite raw” enabling the Teerenpeli to win that round (I’m ever so grateful!)
  • From 7.03.2016, Distillery Manager Shane Fraser shares “On the nose you’ll find fruit and malty aromas, with a hint of peat. On the tongue, sweet and nutty flavours are present, which coat the palate and leave a very slight pleasant flavour of smoke. It is a joy to drink – I hope you enjoy every drop.”
  • This one was thrown in as a courtesy to let me try as a bottle was not available for purchase. Yes there is fruit, nuts, hint of peat, quite intense with lots of promise but not there yet – a bit ruff, gruff and certainly not balanced.
  • However… Let’s just say I’m looking forward to seeing what more comes… though can safely skip this one…

Taylor

We then shifted our attention to the Americas… In this case, to potentially obtain a 3rd American whiskey as counterpoint for two recent acquisitions direct to Mumbai from Denver, Colorado…

For this ‘brief’ we explored a duo from Colonel E. H. Taylor, part of the Buffalo Trace stable:

  • Small Batch 50% – What a change to shift gear to a rye! I’ll admit I’m neither a bourbon nor rye aficionado, however for this style, was a rather good example.
  • Barrel Proof 63.6% – Packs a serious wallop! As in galloping head on into all senses, firing all cylinders. Yowza!

Singapore Airport's Whisky Wall

Next up Changi Airport…  A few highlights / lowlights include:

  • Suntory has launched outside of Japan The Chita… Quite reasonably priced, alas it was not the exquisite Chita Single Grain 12 year I picked up in Tokyo years ago. Easy to pass…
  • However the Kavalan selection was tempting with a Sherry cask strength for less than SG$100. And a new Kavalan Peaty Cask – matured in a cask which previously held a peated whisky for SG$175.

What made the final cut for purchase?

You will just need to be patient til one or more whiskies sampled make it into a focused tasting session.

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Bring on the Bruichladdich Rocks!

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Bruichladdich just keeps experimenting and we delight in exploring their various offerings as and when we can catch hold!

More recently, I sampled:

However it was actually several years ago that our original tasting group first picked up a Bruichladdich. Before I was consistent in taking notes, we tried the Laddie 10 year and another at a session I missed. One session I did join from August 2013 featured the rather unique NAS express ‘Bruichladdich Rocks.’ As usual, we sampled blind then revealed the whisky.

Bruichladdich Rocks (www.bruichladdich.com)

Bruichladdich Rocks (www.bruichladdich.com)

Bruichladdich Rocks 46%

  • Colour – Burnished gold
  • Nose – Bold fresh nose with rubber and a hint of flowery sweetness
  • Taste – Not a hint of peat… just delightful rich winey fruity spicy chewy yumminess
  • Finish – Even better, the finish didn’t dash off instantly leaving instead a gentle warmth

We understand that the name comes from the ancient rocks through which the water apparently crashes. Some have also suggested the whisky is ‘designed’ to be sipped ‘on the rocks’.

Bruichladdich Rocks is a vatted malt, bringing together various vintages then finished for another nine months in a French Mourvèdre-Syrah  wine cask. Certainly worth sampling and nice to try this distillery’s less accessible offering.

It is definitely a whisky I wouldn’t mind revisiting properly rather than merely through notes from our tasting archives! Alas, like many Bruichladdich experiments – what is here today is gone tomorrow and the likelihood of catching this again is rather low.

Just to make you even more envious of the opportunity we had to sample ‘Rocks’, here is what the folks over at Bruichladdich have to say:

  • Character – Light, bright and full of joy! A fresh, vibrant spirit brimming with the unique flavours of the Hebrides.
  • Nose – An exhilarating fresh and vibrant bouquet, opening with soft red grapes, redcurrant jelly, pomegranate and red apple all encased in an envelope of syrup, sweet malted barley and brown sugar vanilla.
  • Palate – It jumps out of the glass anxious to please. The wine flavours wait patiently while the malt and oak display their charms. Then they emerge – red cherry, strawberry and spiciness. Really creamy yet retaining a coastal crispness.
  • Finish – A malt on a mission! Snappy and sweet, zipping along on the crest of a wave migrating from Islay to France but always returning to the homeland.
  • Mood – Gregarious. eager, enthusiastic, tireless. Designed as an aperitif malt, or as here on Islay, to be enjoyed instead of tea. Takes water well.

Here are what others have to say:

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Bruichladdich Octomore 5_169 59.5%

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Next up in the Bruichladdich explorations after the Organic and PC Scottish Barley, was an Octomore! Again, compliments of the Canadian sampling stash from my aunt and uncle.

In a slick black bottle, Bruichladdich Octomore is high octane heavy peat… as in hold on to your hats folks, we’ve got peat, peat and peat!!

Pronounced Ochdamh-mor, it is unabashed but also surprising. The 169 on the label refers to is being a whopping 169 ppm. From 2012, bottled at cask strength, this five-year old packs a punch.

Octmore

Here goes for the Octomore 5 year 169 ppm 59.5%

  • Nose – Good morning! Afternoon! Evening and Night Peat! Iodine, peat, sea salt, nougat, sunshine flowers, then a nutty fruity sweetness pushes through
  • Taste – Well hello peat, again that sweetness, then a spicy burn… some cinnamon and citrus fruits
  • Finish – A burst of citrusy spice, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and more! And yes… peat…
  • Water – Twice I sampled this and both times… my glass was empty before I even managed to add a drop or two!

It is surprisingly well balanced for something so heavily peated. It isn’t an everyday dram however I found myself simply sipping and enjoying more than analysing and distilling its character – a sure sign that on an unconscious level this whisky works!

Here’s what the producers have to say about this Octomore:

  • Colour: Cadmium yellow/ jasmine
  • 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.
  • Mood: Close your eyes as you inhale, you will be spiritually transported to the island of great distillers, with a terroir unique and natural where the never-ending call of the sea is the anthem of the Ileach.
Well… that’s quite the description! Leave aside the overly enthusiastic elements, it is indeed on track for what I found.
Here’s what others have to say:

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Bruichladdich Port-Charlotte Scottish Barley 50%

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The folks over at Bruichladdich broadly categorise their whisky experiments into three groups:

Not so long ago we sampled the Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley 50% – an interesting whisky but not one that jumps out for me.

However it was sufficiently different to prompt interest in exploring their PC and Octomore expressions… thanks to the “Canadian stash” from my aunt and uncle, I had an opportunity to try representations from both!

So what’s up with the Bruichladdich Port-Charlotte? The name Port Charlotte comes from a village near Bruichladdich, which once boasted the Lochindaal Distillery, that ran for 100 years between 1829 and 1929. The approach is to peat to 40 PPM and play around with different barley.

In this case, I sampled the Scottish Barley…

Photo courtesy Whisky Lady's uncle

Photo courtesy Whisky Lady’s uncle

And what did I find?

  • Colour – Light straw
  • Nose – Minty, sea salt, invites you to taste! A bit of citrus thrown in… as it opens becomes sweeter, with a faint curd
  • Taste – Malty yumminess, leather, strong herbs, licorice, smokey, a bit of zing, chewy, dry, sweet.. the longer you sip, the more peaty rich earthiness emerges… with fruits added in for sweetness
  • Finish – The gift that keeps on giving, the herbs come back, lots of peat
  • Water – I’ll admit, I was disinclined to add… but glad I did! Brightened the nose, rounded out the flavours on the palate though dampened the finish initially… then sweeeeet! Quite nice with a dash of water

There is lots going on with this one – strong, very direct and impossible to ignore. The herbal quality makes it distinctive… certainly this more to my preference than the Organic. I certainly appreciate what the folks over at Bruichladdich are trying to achieve.

Here’s what the distillery says… warning it is quite a wordy read!

  • Character – The texture is extraordinarily rich with a huge depth of character. The smouldering heat of peat fires pulls you into a whirlpool of islay flavours and aromas but with such finesse that you welcome the storm.
  • Nose – Opening with assertive waves of peat smoke and Atlantic squall, the olfactory system is on high alert in anticipation of some major sensory excitement. A swell of aromatics flood the senses with notes of iodine, salty canvas, crushed sea shells, charred oak staves, black pepper, paprika and leather tobacco pouches. The second wave brings vanilla, figs and soft plump dates, marinated pear, freshly milled malt, dark sweet toffee and cracked walnuts. It’s smoky. It’s smouldering. It’s sensuous. Just close your eyes and inhale long and deep. This is aromatic awesomeness.
  • Palate – Wow! Waves of the sweetest, smoothest, warmest smokiest spirit that you have ever experienced flood onto the palate like the atlantic surf on Saligo Bay. It is potent, focused and the flavours explode brilliantly onto the palate. Full of depth and complexity, the smokey sweetness of the barley contrasts beautifully with the marine freshness of the spirit and the richness of toffee and vanilla. The complexity is enhanced further with a citrus twist and then mellow oak tempers the fire. Once the taste buds adjust to what is happening, they rejoice in the company and pleasure of this young Celt.
  • Finish – It’s long and heart-warming, arousing feelings of pride and passion. It brings courage and strength, honesty and faith to your very soul.
  • Mood – It cries “freedom”. You are in a good place and you envy no man. You feel alive and ready for whatever lies ahead, knowing that the true spirit of Islay is with you.

Here’s what others say:

Canadian stash

Canadian stash

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Bruichladdich and the organic option – The Organic Scottish Barley NAS 50%

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A muggy August evening brought our merry malt explorers together for a treat of three unique Islay whiskies. Each came from a familiar distillery yet were new expressions to tempt our palate.

We followed our standard blind tasting format, only revealing the whisky after sniffing, sipping, swishing, speculating and more.

So what did we find?

Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley NAS 50%

Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley NAS 50% (Whisky Lady)

Bruichladdich ‘The Organic Scottish Barley’ NAS 50%

  • Colour – Light yellow straw
  • Nose – Imli (tamarind), yet also a classic Scottish quality, fruit basket, very light, a kind of desert sweet, slight olive brine, as it continued to air an overwhelming sweet overripe bananas emerged
  • Taste – Initially a tingly spice, very dry and khatta (sour) with cinnamon, a bit prickly, then grew more and more  bitter, a little brine or sour curd, after some time the spice nearly disappeared
  • Finish – Bitter spice
  • Water – Even more bitter that without a drop or two, then mellows
  • Overall impression – While clearly young, has character and very interesting. Something a bit ‘different’ and while the tasting notes may not seem appealing, was actually quite lovely.
Unveiling – A Bruichladdich experiment with organic barley in a unpeated Islay – a very original choice!!
The Organic Scottish Barley (Whisky Lady)

The Organic Scottish Barley (Whisky Lady)

Official blurb about the expression:
  • In Victorian times, when Bruichladdich Distillery was built, all Scottish barley was organically grown. The relationship between distiller, farmer and soil was intimate and enduring. These ties were lost as industrialised farming cut through ancient synergies and an age of super efficient blandness was born.
  • In partnership with our organic farmers – Sir William Roberts of Mains of Tullibardine, William Rose at Mid Coull and Neil Scobie at Coulmore – we are rediscovering these synergies. We believe relationships matter. Once again, land and dram united.
  • Character – An elegant, composed and stylishly vibrant spirit that showcases the absolute finesse, purity, definition and elegance of organically grown barley.
  • Colour – Late summer barley
  • Nose – Opens on a light almond note with a twist of candied lemon. Followed by the magical aromatics of toasted barley, floral and fruit notes with a hint of lemon honey intermingling beautifully. Toffee sweetness comes from American oak cask and as the spirit opens little drifts of succulent papaya, melon and kiwi can be found.
  • Palate – The texture is sensational, the spirit gliding over the palate like warm syrup. The taste buds love the purity and the sensational clarity of flavours being presented. A real sweetness on the front palate, barley sugar, honey almonds, green jelly beans, pear drops all splashed with fresh lemons and balanced by the crispness of malted barley.
  • Finish – An intensity and definition of flavour that is unparalleled. Incredibly fresh giving an unforgettable palate experience that leaves the taste buds tingling and overwhelmed.
  • Mood – Mischievous. Coy, flirtatious, Lolita. A breast-surging, bodice ripper: breathlessly virtuous.
Am I the only one who finds this giggle-worthy whisky copy? I mean really, bodice ripper??

And this description doesn’t seem to bear much resemblance to our experience. Curiously a different organic expression (The Organic 2010 Multi-vintage) had identical notes… hmm…

I was reminded of my interview with Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie who shared:

I’ve had discussions with our marketing team with organic whisky as an option in response to the incessant demand for something different from the different channels, but our friends in marketing don’t like it. And I can understand where they are coming – if we market it as organic then does it make the rest of it ‘impure’ in compared to it? I have two minds. 

Other whiskies sampled in our August session included:
August Tasting Trio

August Tasting Trio (Whisky Lady)

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