The “24 drams till Christmas” blog series is back – and so is Bruichladdich’s “Laddie 10”, after a two-year absence on the shelves due to a lack of stock. Is there any dram more fitting to kick off this year’s Christmas countdown?

Tasting notes:
Colour: honey gold
The nose is undeniably that of a laddie dram. Light in style yet sophisticated with immediate notes of citrus fruits, tinned tangerines, lychees and pomegranate. A light perfume note, too. Or is that chewing gum? Hubba bubba, perhaps. In the background we get grapes with skins, dry French red wine (I know it says so on the label, but it’s apparent), red berries (brambles, elderberries) with cream and a mixture of different oak spices. I don’t have an old bottle of laddie 10 open at the moment, but while it is recognizably a laddie dram, the French oak and wine cask influence are apparent, more apparent than my memory of previous batches before the temporary discontinuation. Continue reading “24 drams till christmas 2016 #1: Bruichladdich Laddie Ten 2nd edition”

Dram data:
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Bottler: Original Bottling
Distilled: –
Bottled: ca. 2013 – no batch No. on the wee bottle
Age: 10
Limitation: –
Casks: American Oak
Alcohol: 46%
Unchillfiltered, natural colour
Whiskybase link

Tasting notes:
Colour: reddish gold
The nose is typical unpeated Bruichladdich – I like to call it the gentle side of Islay. Some very good and active ex-bourbon casks went into this batch and if it didn’t say “american-oak-matured” on the label I’d say there’s some ex-sherry casks in the mix as well. And yes, I’m fully aware they make sherry casks out of American oak as well. Vanilla pudding, toffee and fudge. Creamy and well-rounded but maybe a wee bit shy, like a 10-year-old lady (terrible pun, I know). Continue reading “Tasting: Bruichladdich The Laddie Ten”