We return to Bruichladdich to review four previous releases. These are not particularly old, although two of them date back about twelve years. The selection includes one official bottling and three independent ones, with ages ranging from eleven to twenty-two years. As we have already introduced Bruichladdich in a recent post, I will move straight on to these four Bruichladdich: one OB and three from Cadenhead’s and Chorlton Whisky.
Bruichladdich 2008 Micro-Provenance Rivesaltes (2019) Review
The tasting begins with the official bottling, which is the youngest in the line-up: a Bruichladdich 2008 from the Micro-Provenance series. Distillation took place on 22 September 2008, and the whisky was filled into a Rivesaltes wine cask (number 2557) until bottling on 8 November 2019. Rivesaltes is a fortified sweet wine (Vin Doux Naturel, VDN) produced in Languedoc-Roussillon, Southern France. This particular cask, bottled for the German Laddie Crew, yielded 312 bottles at 56% ABV. The whisky is unchill-filtered and retains its natural colour. The initial retail price was around €110 per bottle. Now, bottles are only available on the secondary market, often at significantly higher prices.
Colour:
Tawny
Nose:
Neat: The nose shows hints of burnt rubber and grapes that seem to be fermenting in the sun. There is a slightly off sweetness, making me anticipate a single malt with a thick mouthfeel. Distant smoke, raw malt, and a clear wine influence are present. Notes of wood, red apples, and a sharpness similar to solvent also appear.
With water: Aromas of dust and mould emerge, along with grass compost and vegetable oil.
Palate:
Neat: The palate delivers spice and red fruits. It feels somewhat dry and tart, with slightly tangy citrus notes. Strong coffee, a slight sourness, dark chocolate, and a touch of salt are evident. Sour cherries and hints of smoke return.
With water: Red fruits such as raspberries and redcurrants become more prominent, along with some rhubarb.
Finish:
The finish remains warm, with lingering spices and tangy citrus notes, followed by a dark chocolate bitterness.
Comments:
This whisky proves difficult to rate and to assess in terms of overall appeal. It shows some promise, but the character remains youthful and rather bold, lacking a clear identity. Although sold as a Bruichladdich, it displays a noticeable smokiness. The Rivesaltes cask introduces off notes on the nose. Despite these aspects, the whisky still offers some charm.
Rating: 6/10
Bruichladdich 14-year-old Chorlton Whisky (2023) Review
The next whisky in the review is the most recent release of this review: a 14-year-old Bruichladdich bottled by Chorlton Whisky in 2023. Maturation took place in a first-fill bourbon barrel, resulting in an outturn of 229 bottles at 57.9% ABV. The whisky is unchill-filtered and contains no added colouring. Bottles remain available, with prices around £105 in the UK and €140–150 in Italy.
Colour:
Old gold
Nose:
Neat: The nose shows a buttery and slightly lactic character, with notes of peach yoghurt, malt, and a strong presence of grist. You can pick up hints of lemon, gummy banana sweets, and both red and yellow apples. There is also vanilla, sliced almonds, and grated coconut.
With water: Adding water brightens the nose, bringing out more hay, pastry cream, and a touch of honey.
Palate:
Neat: The palate is tart, featuring smoked lemons, cold coal, and ashes, along with hay. You might notice hints of eucalyptus, plums, nectarines, some warm spices, and a touch of toasted wood.
With water: Water introduces notes of lemon peel, finger lime, blood oranges, and tea biscuits.
Finish:
The finish brings the wood notes forward, with a slightly citrus edge. You will also find candle smoke, a bit of cask char, and a hint of pepper. The finish has a medium length.
Comments:
This Bruichladdich has a pleasant summery character, with a very light smokiness and predominantly citrus notes. It is quite good, though somewhat straightforward, and would make a suitable everyday sipper for summer evenings.
Rating: 6.5/10
Bruichladdich 1993 19-year-old Cadenhead’s (2013) Review
The review continues with a pair of Bruichladdich 1993 bottlings from Cadenhead’s. The first is a 19-year-old, distilled in 1993 and bottled in February 2013 as part of Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection. This single cask, a bourbon hogshead, produced 246 bottles at 51.2% ABV. This release is no longer available.
Colour:
Jonquille
Nose:
Neat: The nose is not very intense, offering orchard fruits like peach, pear, and apricots, along with light maritime notes of sea breeze, shells, and warm sand. It also has hints of lemon and a faint trace of smoke.
With water: Neat, the nose was not very intense. After reduction… it is even less. It‘’’s like two drops of lemon juice in a large glass of water. Almost unnoticeable. And a few lemon seeds.
Palate:
Neat: The palate is clean, pure, and precise, featuring a variety of lemon flavours. It includes herbaceous notes like cut grass and a touch of thyme, along with distant smoke, maltiness, and a hint of wood.
With water: The palate turns into a lovely homemade lemonade with hints of chocolate.
Finish:
Sweet citrus flavours linger, similar to homemade sweetened lemonade, with hints of toasted oak and a slightly sweet herbaceous note. The finish is of medium length.
Comments:
This Bruichladdich is delightful and makes for an ideal summer drink. It offers the refreshing taste of lightly sweetened lemonade, yet with a robust 51.2% ABV. While not overly complex, its simplicity is part of its charm. There’s truly nothing not to love.
Rating: 7/10
Bruichladdich 1993 22-year-old Cadenhead’s (2016) Review
The final whisky is another 1993 Bruichladdich, bottled on 2 February 2016, also as part of Cadenhead’s Authentic Collection. This bourbon hogshead produced 228 bottles at 48.9% ABV, with no chill filtration or added colouring. Some bottles remain available at Whisky Antique in Italy (that’s where I bought the pre-World War II Ballantine’s) for around €230, or occasionally appear at auction.
Colour:
Old gold.
Nose:
Neat: The aroma is slightly more intense than the 19-year-old variant. Lemons remain prominent, accompanied by melons, nectarines, and dried apricots. However, the maritime notes are more subdued and distant compared to the 19-year-old.
Palate:
Neat: The palate is sweeter than the 19-year-old, yet very similar, with all the lemon notes present. It includes hints of pepper and ginger pickles, along with some chocolate. There‘’’s a light astringency, but the mouthfeel is predominantly oily.
Finish:
The finish is of medium length, featuring citrus, chocolate, spices, and a notable presence of pepper.
Comments:
This is very good once more, offering a bit more complexity than the 19-year-old variant while maintaining its summer profile. The bright citrus notes make it incredibly easy to reach for another sip.