Malt Mission 2007 #29

Bruichladdich 15yo (first ed.)
Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
46% abv
£35*
$99.95 (CAD)*
$84 (USD)*

Bruichladdich had a patchy history from its birth in 1881 until 2001 when Jim McEwan moved over from Bowmore becoming Production Director. Together with Mark Reynier, Duncan McGillivray and the team of Murray McDavid Ltd., the distllery has purchased a new lease on life and is doing quite well, thank you very much.

A great place to visit and an absolutely charming set of buildings to match the equally charming cast of characters. And character is everywhere here, from the bottling hall to the open-topped mash tun (complete with traditional raking system), to the earth floors in the warehouse, to the 'blacker still', the ancient wash still from 1881 that is still in use... much to breathe in, angels or not.

With three distinct styles being produced at the distillery(lightly peated Bruichladdich, heavily peated Octomore or Port Charlotte, and triple distilled Trestarig) and experiments in grains, quadruple distillation, and beyond, the future is bright for Bruichladdich. Good luck wrapping your head around all of the releases that they seem to be perpetually pooping out.

TASTING NOTES:

Light and appetising. Busy, too. Salt and vinegar peanuts, gummi sweets. Good malty middle, vanilla soaked baked goods. Has a very briny bite, lightly peaty. Stone wet by the sea.

Tastes light but makes an impression. Apples and peanut oil. More of that sweet maltiness. Dances in the mouth with waves of saltiness replaced with waves of peppery spiciness, then drying to oak and cocoa. Chocolate covered sushi. Eww... nevermind.

SUMMARY:

A very pleasant, outdoorsy, seabreezy malt.
Bought this after a great tour with Duncan around the distillery and warehouses. He kept our glasses full with many interesting things they are doing over there. A happy-drunk purchase I do not regret. In fact, I think I bought two, but cannot seem to recall what happened to the other one...

Some think they dabble too much but the distillery is adorable. And when you get out there, you see that everyone involved in the production are a bunch of really passionate hobbyists who SOMEONE trusts enough(financially) to do the kind of weird experiements they do. Good for them for taking chances, but consistency is valuable, too. This whisky used to be a very reliable bottling in the Bruichladdich range, but now with that gone, it can all be very hit and miss.

* Price when I bought it in UK. Now, if you can find it, it retails for £47. ALSO, the bottling at the LCBO may be first edition or second, I just dont know. The price quoted for the US is the Second Edition.

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