Tasting: Bruichladdich Laddie Eight

Dram data:
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Bottler: original bottling
Distilled: 10.03.2008
Bottled: 15.03.2016
Age: 8 years
Limitation: –
Casks: American and European oak
Alcohol: 50%
unchillfiltered and uncoloured
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: white wine
The nose opens on the fresh, light, almost “springtime” side. Honest fresh, young 8-year-old whisky. An initial hit of alcohol after pouring the dram, but it mellows down quickly. Citrus peel, sherbet lemon, green and white apples, pears, green Kiwi (but not sour), sour apple drops with a pinch of salt. And then there’s something else – Freshly sprung herbs, possibly and hint of vanilla but there are traces of other spices not found in American oak – a whiff of cinnamon stick and allspice. I just had to cheat to confirm, and yep, they seem to have used European oak casks as well. Not sure which kind of previous spirit they held – if at all, definitely no big bold Sherries or Port wines.  Needs quite a bit of time to breath and open up, a dash of water helps too. The palate matches the nose perfectly. A tad nippy at first with loads of fresh apples and pears, a splash of citrus and barley water. A few slightly richer notes on the second sip – a few red apples make an appearance, together with mango, marmalade, possibly a few wee white peaches, a hint of spices, oak and…. Muskat Ottonel wine? Adding a splash of water takes the edge off and reveals a few richer fruity notes and accentuates the fruity sweetness. The light but long finish is noticeably dry with a fruitiness (apples, pears, peaches, Kiwi, mango) upon swallowing. Slight spices, barley and a layer of oak appearing towards the end.

Verdict:
A summery, fresh, light-ish and fruity laddie, bottled for the global travel retail market, so not likely to be found at your local liquor store. An honest 8-year-old dram not trying to hide its age with a sherry-bomb finish. Of course it isn’t rich beyond measure with attributes found in 20+ year-old whiskies (and neither does it need to be) but it’s quite a bit above just any 8-year-old Scotch due to the layering going on with different kinds of wood being involved – not only your standard American oak. A light, easy-sipping dram at first glance, but it pays off to take your time and dig deeper – recommended with a splash of water.

Score: 84/100
(Nose: 84 Palate: 84 Finish: 83)

Thanks to Bruichladdich for the sample!