Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Bruichladdich The Laddie
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years
ABV: 46 %
Colour: Medium Amber/Bright Gold
Nose: A surprise right at the beginning. This is an unpeated Whisky but there is certainly a Damp, Wet Wood, Peaty smell to it. I've never been to Islay unfortunately but I can imagine I'm walking through the Peat Fields on a cold and foggy morning. I also get light Baby-Vomit, Cooked Vegetables and Potatoes (not unlike the Jura 16 but less prominent) and slight Band-Aid tones. They are not strong enough to be considered off-notes and they tend to get weaker with more time in the glass. I can't exactly smell the Sea here but there are certainly some Maritime, Salty, Briny Notes to be found. The little Fruit I get consists mainly of Pineapple, Lemon and Banana. Some hints of Grass/Straw, Butter, Menthol and Leather. A lot of different things are going on but they do not paint a very coherent picture. I had heard a lot of good stuff about the Laddie so maybe I set the bar too high. To summon it up, It's Not Right But It's Okay as Whisky Houston used to sing.
Taste: Oak, Malt, Lemon, Candied Fruits, Vanilla, Bourbon, Black Pepper, Sultanas, Honey, Ginger, Cloves, Nutmeg, Orange, Brine, Tobacco, Licorice and Nuts. Ever so slightly Metallic.
Finish: Medium long with Malt, lightly Charred Oak, Herbal Tea, Honey, Black Pepper, Menthol, Lemon, Ginger, Nutmeg and a pinch of Salt. After a few minutes a slightly bitter Earthy tone appears.
I added a few drops of Water and the Nose becomes fruitier and mellow. The Candied Fruits on the Palate become stronger. Licorice appears in the Finish as well. You can experiment with a few drops but don't overdo it. Personally, I prefer it neat. Actually, I prefer to taste whisky neat most of the time.
Rating: 84.5
Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21
General Remarks: Without any doubt, the Laddie is the best-known expression of this Distillery that was bought by Remy Cointreau in 2012 from a group of private investors (including Mark Reynier). It was cask-filled at 70% for extra flavour and first bottled in September 2011, exactly 10 years after the re-opening of the Distillery in 2001. It's not Chill-Filtered, unpeated, American Oak matured and does not contain colourants. It costs around 50 US Dollars.
Drinking Experience Neat: Good
Conclusion: Let me start by saying that the Laddie is not at all a bad whisky. But certainly I had come to expect more of it. The Nose is quite interesting and the unpeated Peat smell took me by surprise. But the multiple flavours, although not bad on an individual basis, are not fully in balance. Palate and Finish are a bit flat and do no provoke any Wow-This is It feelings. This is my first acquaintance with the Bruichladdich distillery but certainly not the last. Miniatures of Links, Rocks, Waves and Peat are waiting to be savoured!
Jan van den Ende January 25, 2013
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