Origin: Isle of Islay (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 52.2%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon, ex-Wine and ex-Sherry
Chillfiltered: No
Added coloring: No
Owner: Bruichladdich (Rèmy Cointreau)
Average price: € 240.00
Official website: www.bruichladdich.com
To round off the annual series of Bruichladdich’s extra peated whisky, here for the sixth time is the ten-year-old, released at the end of 2024, available only directly from the distillery (physically and online), cask strength and, as always, matured in the name of transparency.
Starting with ‘mainland’ barley of Concerto quality (at 107ppm), the composition of the casks filled in 2013 is as follows: 50% ex-Bourbon casks, 15% ex-Pineau des Charentes casks, 25% ex-Sherry PX second-fill casks and 10% ex-red wine first-fill casks, all of which were left to rest together for six months before bottling.
Tasting Notes
Caramel popcorn blossoms immediately on the nose, along with praline nuts (peanuts, almonds), crème brûlée and burnt shortcrust pastry. And it’s this burning that characterises the aromas, like a pastry chef who has forgotten to check the oven: apple pie, biscuits, honey, coffee… all burnt, so much for the Maillard reaction! Rescued from the clutches of the distracted pastry chef are shades of chocolate, red fruits (blackberries, sour cherries), dried apricot, sweet liquorice and a hint of sea breeze. There is certainly no lack of personality.
The palate is very oily, very dense, with an initial coffee surge that paves the way for spices (black pepper, paprika) and darker fruit (more blackberry and sour cherry with tamarind, ripe plum, bergamot), macadamia, toasted hazelnut, kumquat, liquorice. The confectionery aspect is in the background, between pastry, baked cream and toasted marshmallow, leading straight to toasted wood and a more incisive impression of coastal minerality, with salty tips along the length.
Long finish of toasted wood, coffee, burnt cake, cooked fruit, burnt twigs and salt.
A heterogeneous drink, far from boring, which draws strength from the mix of casks to create a multifaceted and full-bodied whisky, whose weakness is perhaps that it insists too much on toasted tones. Which, if you like it, becomes an asset.
Vote: 89/100