Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2010

Bruichladdich 'beres' all with this 2010 Bere Barley Scotch - a beauty of a bottling. I'll be honest, I bought this thing partly out of curiosity because I was sold on the research I had done on bere barley, which (if you didn't know) is an ancient cereal grain that has been grown on the British Isles - especially in Scotland - for centuries. In my collection is also the Organic and Islay Barley, so I figured, 'Hey, why not complete the set?' Of the three Bruichladdich experiments, I honestly think the Bere Barley is the best. Everything from the nose to the finish was so rich in aroma and flavour that made each anticipated sip all the more challenging yet satisfying. When I first nosed this Scotch, it reminded me of the Islay Barley or Bladnoch 10 with its warm, buttery and toffee notes; however, it then evolved into more Asian-influenced profiles (ie: Taro root and red bean on the nose, tapioca on the palate, and rice wine - much like sake - on the finish). For an 8 Year Old whisky, this is pretty darn good. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on one and are open to trying something different, I would highly recommend this (now) rare find. I trust the process, and I am sure there's a reason for this, but I only wonder how much better this Scotch could have been if it had spent a few extra years aging in the barrel. That said, having a pour from this bottle creates a bit of nostalgia for me. The barley was grown and harvested in 2009 in Orkey, then distilled in 2010 - the same year of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games where I was celebrating Team Canada winning the men's hockey gold medal! Good times, even better memories. I digress. Well done, Bruichladdich on another memorable dram! NOSE: Sultana, butter, toffee, oak, malt, dandelion, sandalwood, taro root, roasted red bean PALATE: Honey, tapioca, chrysanthemum, grass, nutmeg FINISH: Earthy tones, grass, rice wine, sea salt, malt, oak, coffee, chocolate Rating: 89/100 Grade: B+ Great - always want to have a bottle.

Like many reviewers, I keep landing on the word ‘interesting’ for this whisky. And I mean that in the best sense of the term, in that it’s an engaging and challenging curiosity. Each time I think I have it’s measure, I find I am unsure of myself and have to reach for another pour. The flavors are familiar yet unusual, distinctly Bruichladdich and yet clearly unique. The distillery’s signature creamy, lactic note leads proceedings on the nose but is soon joined by grass and kiwi fruit. There’s a decent oily heft to the spirit in the mouth, where the sour cream flavors are joined by peaches in rich cream and a vibrant spice that confounds given the absence of peat or any long exposure to oak. It’s the unusual combination of sour cream, fruit, grass and spice that makes this different from your typical Scotch and while that may not be a recipe for a daily pour it makes for a stimulating alternative for the jaded palette. Dare to go Bere.

So, like all Bruichladdichs that I’ve had, this guy takes a while to open up. I had the previous Bere release. Its nose was straight musty grains. This release smells like under-ripe pears, green grape, artificial apple. Malt and vanilla backbone. At the end is the dusty grain scent that dominated the previous release for me. Palate has a slight salinity, pepper, waxy apples and pears. It has beautiful viscosity. Vanilla. Brown sugar. The finish is respectably long. White pepper. Kind of a mint. Lots of underripe pear. Wax. This is a bright and precocious dram. I thoroughly enjoy it, but fair warning that I like most Bruichladdichs. The Distiller score of 93 is justified.

Quite an interesting one this is. Very mellow on the nose with hints of cereal and light touches of vanilla. However the taste is what’s most intriguing. A slight bite from the lack of maturity but not to the level you would expect from an 8 year old malt. The flavors are long lasting and even after full consumption there is a creamy vanilla aroma that makes its way to the nose. Overall a very interesting scotch and worth the try.

This is a strange little dram. So, at first, I couldn’t stand the aroma. Almost like turpentine. But then, after a bit, it changed to wet leaves and hay. Palette as well...goes from grassy to herbal to ashy. I’m strangely attracted to it, like a moth to a flame. Not sure I’d want a full bottle, but a few pours is really well worth experimenting. Thanks @Richard-ModernDrinking for the generous sample—-this one was quite a trip.

This was one of the 2 stand outs at a recent tasting. Enjoyed this quite a bit. I got lots of chocolate notes and said as a compliment. It reminded me of Cocoa Crisp cereal at several moments. Strange as I think it's been well over 30 years since I tasted it. But the memory flooded back. Not too sweet, don't think that. Water did nice things to open this.