Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2010

In honor of Robert Burns day I would be remiss if I didn’t enjoy a few drams tonight, and what better way then to review 3 offerings from Bruichladdich. I received a 3x200ml gift pack for Xmas with 2008/09/10 barley expressions. Let’s get to it. This bottling is the youngest of the 3 (aged 7 years) but is the darkest, a pale amber which resembles classic laddie. The nose from this initial neck pour exploded with bright shiny fruit, canned pears specifically. That brightness fades with time and air, presenting more earthy scents of both fresh and decaying leaves on a forest trail. At the very back there are some chalky notes that disappear before I can identify them. Overall a light and non aggressive nose. Palate begins as expected with sweet fruit, almost syrupy; as if it came from the previously mentioned can of pears. That moves quick as you get to the main event, the unpeated barley. This catches your attention and holds it. As you taste you expect the usual suspect flavors to show up, but it’s still just malted barley, as if it’s suspended in time. It then slowly shifts to quite a bit of baking spice, the 50% ABV doing a great job of lifting it higher and higher leading to the finish. After that crescendo of malt and spice, the wood really makes an appearance on a finish that is medium long. Dry oak tannin with just the slightest bit of ash reminds you where this elixir came from. What a wonderfully simple whisky. It’s been a while since I’ve had a scotch that doesn’t try to wow me with bells or whistles or crazy finishes, and this is an example of enjoying the simple things in life done well.

Rating: 16/23 N: Light peat is the first thing that jumps out. Not so much smoke.It's herbal and vegetal and grainy and funky. Faint carrots. Less fruit than in the other grain-centric Bruichladdich offerings. P: That peat hits immediately. It's light with an herbal character that morphs into carrot, light chocolate, and a general baking spice profile. A bit of citric tartness starts coming out. Not as sour as lemon, but not as sweet as orange. It's a bit bitter too. Malty sweetness swoops in, carrying both of those flavors. Grainy, lightly toasted. It reminds me a bit at times of a young Talisker with some rough edges and added sweetness, but with less peat and more emphasis on the grain. This definitely tastes younger and more aggressive though. I also get some of the character that Copperworks peated has. This is a bit more brash then Bruichladdich Bere Barley, but it's also fascinating and tasty with its clear peat flavor despite being an unpeated whisky. Seeing as Talisker 10 tastes more mature than this does, I think this could do with some more aging. F: Bitter with peat, occasional chocolate, a little remnant of fruit. - Conclusion - This strikes me as very competitive with Loch Lomond 12 (16). I like the character here, but Loch Lomond 12 is more balanced, mature, and refined. The character here is fascinating and very tasty, but if I had to pick one or the other, I'd pick the Loch Lomond 12 most likely. On the other hand, this seems to be clearly better than Bruichladdich Scottish Barley (15). I think that means that this is getting a 15 to tie with the Loch Lomond 12.

The nose is incredibly shy and takes some work to pull out notes which starts with a mild vegetal flavor, lemon zest and hay then cocoa powder and dehydrated oranges followed by faint fruits of sour green apple, lychee and nectarines that transitions to ginger, cloves and light oak with no ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with a moderate bitter spice followed by melted plastic, gooseberries and hay then cocoa nibs and orange pith followed by grapefruit, lychee and white peaches that transitions to ginger, cloves and ashy oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with grapefruit pith, orange juice, used coffee grounds, and mild black pepper. This is a rather disappointing dram that the aromas are so faint that it comes across as a light vegetal and oaky air that requires time to really pull out the other notes. On the palate, the flavors are much more pronounced but it’s youthful with bitter and sour notes that never really come together before finishing bitter with sour citrus and a mild pepper spice. Thanks @ContemplativeFox for the generous sample.

To begin, I almost feel like I could notice a very faint wiff of the rubberiness similar to what's in the Port Charlottes. I'm told this is likely barrel char coming through. A few more smells and I start to get a mix of barley sugars and lemon peel. More of the same when tasting- and extra lemon. The 50%abv doesn't come across as heavy. This was a small taste of a newly opened bottle...I feel like it will get better with time. 3.5 stars for now....I've started to really enjoy this one now 3 1/2 to 4 stars.

Very bright and sweet and friendly, with no mustiness weighing it down like you might get in a speyside. The flavor is a backbone of grains, honey, and maple syrup, but if you swirl it around in your mouth, you’ll taste just about every fruit in existence bouncing in and out of the flavor profile. There’s also a notable bit of black peppery earthiness to offset the sweetness. Bonus guest review from my friend: “This is what I imagine scotch would taste like if I liked scotch.” Take that how you will.

Love me some Bruichladdich! Distilled in 2010, bottled in 2017. Awesome packaging and lovely presentation of the whisky. Lovely sea breeze on the nose, makes you feel like you're at the beach on a windy day. The palate has grilled lemons with black pepper and sea salt. You catch a hint of the wine casks used on the finish combined with brine and again some black pepper. Really impressive stuff for such a young whisky. Love the transparency of Bruichladdich. I definitely recommend this one, cheers all.