Dram data:
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Bottler: Official bottling
Distilled: Dec. 2004
Bottled: 01.10.2011
Age: 6
Limitation: 6000
Price at the time of purchasing: 57€
Casks: (most likely refill ex-bourbon – my best guess)
Alcohol: 50%
Unchillfiltered & natural color
Whiskybase link
(Blind) Tasting notes:
Colour: White wine – refill’ish. Very delicate and subtle on the nose with quite a big amount of alcohol influence.
Lemon juice, lemon zest, green apples, tangerines, faint vanilla, pineapple, unripe Kiwi fruit. On the palate there’s a big hit of alcohol, a slightly vanilla-lemony sweetness – this needs a drop of water for further examination. A generous amount of water and some time in the glass considerably help to bring out the flavours. More lemon juice, grapes, tangerine, white peaches, pears and a hard to describe floral note with faint hints of vanilla. This dram stays very light in style but doesn’t deny it’s young alcoholic freshness. The medium-long finish is malty sweet with very light oak influence towards the end.
Verdict:
This is very much like the organic Bruichladdich I finished a few months ago and the similarities gave the origin of this dram away while I was nosing it, making this the first whisky I’ve guessed in a blind tasting ;). While I do recognise its qualities, personally this style is not my favourite of the Bruichladdich expressions, I’d prefer if it were aged for a few more years and/or in a bit more active casks. Still, a nice, elegant, fresh and kicking dram – it just needs a bit of water to tame it.
Score: 85/100