These days, having tastings in person has become a challenge and depending on where you live, a fineable offense. And so, a special tasting was offered by the fine folks of the Canadian distributors of the single malt whisky, Bruichladdich. It contained six tasting bottles each with its own expression from the historic and forward-thinking distillery located in Islay, Scotland.
Bruichladdich. Progressive Herbidean Distillers Since 1881 – A Little History
Bruichladdich is part of the Remy Cointreau family, reportedly having been sold for close to 60 million GBP. A fact that few would have predicted during the slow years that lasted between the 1980s and 1990s. One of the turning points in the history of the brand was when a gentleman named Jim McEwan was appointed as the brand’s production director. McEwan started his life in whisky at the age of 14 working as an apprentice cooper at Bowmore, and at 22, he became cellar master. After serving in blending, and distillery manager, he move over to Bruichladdich in the year 2000.
First order of business was the replacement of all the old casks and shaping up the use of wood and blending. Upon a visit there, you can see a range of different types of wood, from sherry casks, bourbon casks as well as Bordeaux casks, for which some were used to make the ever popular “Black Art” expression.
Why Bruichladdich Matters Today
Some believe that Ardbeg is the only other distillery on the island of Islay that comes close to practicing the innovative, bold and even brazen approach to the way whisky is distilled in modern Islay. The label “Progressive Herbidean Distillers since 1881” that appears on the bottles of Bruichladdich is no stretch. The old distillery experiments with the use of peat in their spirits that would have some others nervous, but for them, it seems to really work.
Bruichladdich is one of only two distilleries that matures and bottles every bit of its whisky on Islay. The other is Kilchoman. Making a considerable effort to work with the community, there are close to 30 farms on Islay that supply roughly half of Bruichladdich’s requirements. For those who have the privilege of visiting the distillery, be sure to check out the original belt-driven mill from 1881. It is still in working order, and the entire distillery is operated mostly by Victorian-era equipment.
Octomore, an off shot of Bruichladdich, is widely considered the peatiest whisky available. The methods used by the distillery in many ways challenge what we are used to thinking about what a whisky should be, should contain and how it should be made.
Cigars and Bruichladdich
This being Cuban House Of Cigars, I thought it would be fun to make a few cigar recommendations that would pair nicely with some of the single malts listed in this article notably since they all have the characteristics of Islay whiskies. For the peat-ier single malts, the old cigar brand Gurkha makes a series of cigars that contain 15 – 18 and 21 year old tobacco. They each have a certain spice to them, which will hold up strong with one of the Islay whiskies featured. They are called Gurkha Cellar Reserve, each with the 15 – 18 – or 21 year label. Staying with the peaty single malts, but with a Cuban cigar, I would recommend a Bolivar Belicoso Fino, a Saint Luis Rey Serie A or Saint Luis Rey Regios. Those cigars will bring out the flavors of the peat, and their full bodied-ness will hold up their own.
Pairing the Black Art whisky was a treat. It is the least peaty of the six single malts below and the most complex spirit of the bunch. A rich and preferably aged Cohiba would really marry well with the higher end Bruichladdich. The classic Esplendido comes to mind, as does the SIGLO VI and the highly sought after Behike 54. Pair those beauties up and you have a wonderful hour or so ahead of you.
The tasting comprised of six different expressions. I will skip the tasting notes as those are personal to each person, and focus instead on what I find particularly interesting about each. All photos of the individual bottles were taken from the official Bruichladdich website, which if you have not visited, makes for a fun companion as you are tasting their spirits. https://www.bruichladdich.com/
Due to the various taxes structures on alcohol ranging from state to state and province to province, the prices noted are meant solely to give you an idea of the price range of the whiskies presented, and you can compare to prices of some of your go to bottles. As a reference, a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black in Canada sells for approximately $55 CAD.
Bruichladdich Organic 2009
50% alc. Vol.
SOLD out in GBP price n/a /. Approx. $110 to S130 CAD
As per the name, the whisky is completely organic, using the barley of Mid Coul which Bruichladdich claims reflects the flavours of the landscape.
This expression is limited to 18,000 bottles and aged for 8 years. The distillation took place in 2009 from a 2008 harvest. 100% organically grown Scottish barley was used in American oak casks from ex-Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskies.
Bruichladdich Black Art 7
£275.00 / $400 CAD
48.4% alc. Vol.
This was my personal favorite from the six in the tasting. Aged 25 years, the 1994 reference is to the year the distillery was closed for what could have been the last time. The unpeated single malt whisky was the 7th in the limited-edition series where 12,000 bottles were made.
Port Charlotte 10 – Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt
50% alc. Vol.
£50.00 / $100 CAD
The village of Port Charlotte on the shoreline is two miles south of Bruichladdich. The 10 year whisky is heavily peated with a phenol level at 40 parts per million. It is matured as follows; 65% 1st fill in American whiskey casks, followed by 10% 2nd fill in American Whiskey Casks and 25% 2nd fill in French wine casks.
Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2012
50% alc. Vol.
£60.00/ $105 to $125 CAD
Port Charlotte’s message has always been about “being a true Islay whisky”, and about community. The village has two pubs and one school, making for a tight community. This expression makes the case in point by using barley from eight Islay farms from the 2011 crop. The barley is raised, distilled, matured and bottled completely on Islay.
Like the Port Charlotte 10, the phenol level is at 40 parts per million. However the maturation process is different. The first fill is 75% Bourbon Casks, and the 2nd fill is 25% wine casks. Add the extra two years of ageing and you have a distinct tasting whisky than the 10 year expression.
Octomore 10.1
£125 / $235 CAD
59.8% alc. Vol.
The Port Charlotte mentioned above, which is “heavily peated” had a phenol level at 40 parts per million. This Octomore 10.1 rings in at 107 “ppm”. That says a lot. The 10.1 was distilled in 2013 from the 2012 harvest of Scottish grown concerto barley, and was matured for five years. Maturation is full term in 1st fill in American Whiskey casks from Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace and Jack Daniels. There were 42,000 bottles made.
Octomore 10.4
63.5% acl. Vol. Price in GBP n/a. $275 CAD
This is where the “Progressive Distillers” comes in. Most of what we deem important in a whisky was overlooked in this expression. For starters, it is the youngest ever one released with 3 years aged in Virgin Oak. The twenty-eight casks used were subjected by a high toast level which according to the distillery gives “a dry fruit character that is impeccably well-rounded”. Given the small number of casks used, only 12,00 bottles were made and is now sold out in most places.
The PPM level is 88.
While researching this article, I came across this beautiful image created by the poet and artist Jane Taylor entitled “The Hill on the Shore”. It depicts the Bruichladdich Distillery gate, still and building. If you’re interested, a print can be purchased at this link (Note: we have no affiliation with that vendor or the artist):
https://www.islaywhiskydistilleryprints.co.uk/islay-whisky-distillery-prints/p/bruichladdich-distillery
