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Bruichladdich 10-, 15-, & 20-Year Single Malt Scotches
by Kevin R. Kosar No doubt
many readers have already heard about Bruichladdich, what with Malt
Advocate magazine naming it distillery of the year in 2001. But for
those not familiar with the story, here it is in a nut: Bruichladdich
(pronounced brook-laddie, meaning shore bank) began making scotch in 1881.
Until 1960, it made huge, peaty whiskies. Thereafter it switched to a
making more subtle scotches. By 1994, though, the distillery was near
death. Workers had been let go and no whisky was being made. In December
of 2000 Gordon Wright, Mark Reynier, and Simon Coughlin of the bottler,
Murray-McDavid, bought Bruichladdich (the Wright family, you might recall,
runs Springbank distillery). On May 29, 2001, the first spirit of the
reinvigorated distillery flowed.
Now, many
folks are very excited (us included) that Jim McEwan, who made the whiskies
at Bowmore for many years, took the helm |
If you'd like to shop for this product or any other wines or spirits, click HERE |
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at the
reborn Bruichladdich. That means, obviously, that none of the scotches
tasted here are strictly Jim's product. Somebody else distilled them and
casked them. However, it was Jim who went into the barrel house and separated
the superb from the less than superb, and co-mingled them to create these
whiskies. And boy did he do a fine job.
The 10-year
is finished in sherry and bourbon casks. It's a light bodied malt and
noses of hazelnut, honey, raspberries, cinnamon, orange and apple. In
the mouth it is easy, offering apple, cinnamon, oloroso, soft peat, and
honey. Well done. (Rating ***3/4)
The mostly
bourbon (and a little sherry) finished 15-year is a different animal.
As my notes indicate, "in came iodine." It's a more robust whisky,
with a dry banana and ginger nose and a scrumptious mouthfeel and notes
of caramel, roast grain, peach and more. Gutsy and complex, and a great
deal of fun. (Rating****1/4)
Last up
for this review is Bruichladdich 20-year, which is finished only
in bourbon. It's a thick dram and its own creature. One can take in oak, peat, cranberry, toffee, chocolate, and caramel, and it is remarkably
soft and almost velvety. Delightful. (Rating ****1/2)
For
more information about Bruichladdich Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, surf
to http://www.bruichladdich.com.
Reviewed 1/5/02
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Copyright © 1997-Present Kevin R. Kosar |
