Showing posts with label Bruichladdich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bruichladdich. Show all posts

Bruichladdich Octomore 12.1


“Zwarte Peat is Back”


Whisky Review # 1048

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Islay
Brand: Bruichladdich Octomore 12.1 (130.8 PPM) - Distilled: Likely 2015
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Bottled: 2021
Age: Around 5 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59.9% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No
Average Price: Around US$ 200 (November 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive for such a young and relatively simple Malt
Buying Advice: 😐 Only for the addicted Peatheads among us!

Colour:

Pale Straw/White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

It takes a while for this 12.1 to open up a little so be sure to give it enough time in the glass. The Alcohol is quite strong so better avoid nosing in the middle of the glass. Even after a while the Peat and Smoke make it difficult to identify the other Aromas so you need to be patient with this Bruichladdich. It took me more than an hour to identify the Aromas. The Nose is Sweet but not overly so. It does feel a bit Young and Rough though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Wax and Yeast, Heavy Smoke, Coastal Peat, Soot Tar, Iodine, Farmyard, Fish and Pork on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Burnt Straw, Wet Rocks and Sand, Green Apple, Banana, Dairy, Bounty Bar, Wet Oak, Iron, Pepper and Aniseed.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Snickers Candy Bar, Ashes, Hospital, Diesel, Rubber, Leather, Espresso, Dark Chocolate 80%, Musty Cellar, Pear, Pencil Shavings, Licorice, Cloves and a hint of Orange Liqueur.


Palate:

Young, slightly Rough and Bitter-Sweet. The Alcohol is very present at this point. The Peat, Smoke and Burnt notes are in full control. It's a bit of a One Trick Pony and you really need to concentrate to dig out the other Flavours.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Malt, Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Heavy Smoke and Peat, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Iodine, Farmyard, Wet Straw and Grass, Smoked Fish and Pork on the BBQ sprinkled with Herbs & Lemon, Green Apple, Orange-Flavoured Dark Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Grapefruit, Pepper, Ginger and Aniseed.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee/Butterscotch, Hospital, Pear, Banana, Dairy, Black Espresso or Tea, Nuts and Nutshells, Peanut Butter, Wet Iron, Plastic, Rubber and Resin.


Finish:

Quite Long but mainly on Peat/Smoke and Burnt notes. Sweet at First but with increasing Bitter notes towards the Dry end. Quite Sharp and Fiery but that's to be expected at almost 60%. I find Sweet Toasted Malt, Salted Caramel, Toffee and Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Burnt Toast, Heavy Smoke, Coastal Peat, Yeast, Wet Mud, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Fish & Pork on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon & Herbs, Farmyard, Wet Rocks and Sand, Dairy, Green Apple, Pear, Grapefruit, Bounty Bar, Wet Oak, Wet Iron, Plastic, Espresso, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed and this intriguing note that reminds me of eating Crepes Suzette in a Hospital.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and strangely enough that practically kills the Nose. Almost like Peated Water used in the distilling process. It softens up the Palate and Finish of course but does not improve both. At almost 60% you would expect that added Water would improve the 12.1 but that's not the case. I prefer it neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5  - Finish: 7.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat
: Good but quite one-dimensional

Conclusion:

Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. During its history it was mothballed various times, the last time in 1998. In 2012 the Islay distillery was bought by Remy Cointreau (France). Since, Bruichladdich is showing a healthy growth again. The distillery produces 3 types of Single Malt, i.e. the unpeated Bruichladdich & the heavily peated Port Charlotte & Octomore. The basic core range includes the Classic Laddie and a 10-year old Port Charlotte. The annual production amounts to around 1.1 million litres. About 10% of that is Octomore. Octomore means " The Big Eighth". This is a medieval division of common ground.

The Octomore 12.1 was made with Scottish Barley. It's not really a bad Octomore but it is one of the less exciting ones I've tasted. It is totally dominated by Peat & Smoke and it's really hard to detect other Aromas and Flavours below this Cloud of Smoke. If you like that by all means go for it although the price tag is hefty. But if you're looking for a smoky but balanced Octomore, the 12.1 is not for you.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                November 27, 2024

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2014

Port Charlotte 10 Years


”I Like Your Style”


Whisky Review # 976

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Region: Islay
Brand: Port Charlotte
Distilled at: Bruichladdich 
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 10 Years
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: Mostly Ex-Bourbon casks plus around 25% French Wine casks
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 50-65  (February 2023)
P/Q ratio: 👍 Good
Buying Advice: 👍 If you like peated young Whisky, it's a no-brainer!

Colour:

Light Gold (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young and Light. The Peat (40 ppm) is noticeable but softer than competitors like Ardbeg 10 and Laphroaig 10. In a blind Tasting you might easily consider it to be a peated Highlander. It's Sweet but not overly so and you will also find some Bitter, Sour and Salty notes. There's quite a lot of Fruit around thanks to the Wine casks and there a slightly Dirty feel to this Nose as well. All in all not bad and certainly interesting. The Alcohol is noticeable but not overwhelming.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Malt, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Earthy Peat, Farmyard, Straw, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Soot, (Shell) Fish and Ham on the BBQ and sprinkled with Lemon and Fresh Herbs, especially Coriander & Oregano, Cocktail of Fresh Fruit like Apples, Pears, Bananas, Strawberries & Orange Juice, Dusty Wood, Leather, Aniseed and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Tar, Iodine, Hospital, Raisins, Toasted Pineapple, Sugared Tea, Wet Rocks and Sand, Milk, Metal, Sulphur, Rubber, Olive Oil, Cinnamon, Cloves, Pepper, Curry and Licorice.


Palate:

Quite Oily for a 10-Year old. The same savory mix of Sweet, Bitter, Salty and Sour notes. It's a bit Dirty and slightly off in places but that's part of the character of this Young Islay Malt. The Alcohol is not overwhelming despite the high ABV. Quite Dry.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Malt, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Farm-Yard, Straw, (Shell) Fish and Bacon on the BBQ, sprinkled with Lemon and Fresh Herbs, Dusty Oak, Bitter Orange, Grapefruit, Dusty Oak, Leather, Pepper, Licorice, Mint and Ginger.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Bitter Almonds, Tar, Iodine, Hospital, Red Berries, Overripe Banana, Toasted Pineapple, Wet Stones and Sand, Metal, Rubber, Tobacco, Cloves, Curry & a mix of Milk and Baby Vomit.


Finish:

Middle-Long with lingering Ashes and Metal. A mix of Sweet, Bitter, Salty and Sour notes. Very Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Barley, Burnt Caramel, Toffee and Vanilla, Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Tar, (Shell) Fish and Bacon on the BBQ & sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Nuts, Grapefruit, Apple, Overripe Banana, Wet Stones, Dusty Oak, Dark Cocolate, Espresso, Leather, Pepper, Cinnamon, Mint, Aniseed, Ginger, Menthol, Iron, Licorice and a light Off-note that reminds me of Milk and Baby Vomit. Not enough to scare me off though!

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water & that makes the Palate quite Succulent and Tasty. The Nose becomes a little Malty but it's certainly okay to play with a little Water in this case.

Rating: 8 (********)

Nose: 8.3 - Taste: 7.8 - Finish: 7.6 - Overall: 8

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

A few of my loyal readers have pointed out that every once in a while my final Rating note did not seem to be totally in line with the written text. I recognize that. When I started this Whisky Blog back in 2011, I was not at all experienced in tasting and scoring Single Malts & Blends. Looking back I realize that during the early years I probably scored the good Whiskies too low and the not so good Whiskies too high. Ever since the beginning I try to remain consequent in my rating, always comparing the outcome to the rating of comparable whiskies in terms of quality and taste and adjusting the final rating if necessary. This might lead to the discrepancy I mentioned before. As a result I have decided to use a new rating system as of today. I will still give a rating for Nose, Taste and Finish but now on the scale from 1-10 whereby 1 represents the worst and 10 the best. The sum of these numbers will be divided by 3 to get the final score. I hope this new scoring makes it easier for you to understand what I thought about the whisky I'm reviewing.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink. Please let me know what you think of the new rating system and leave your comments and/or suggestions.

Drinking Experience Neat
:


Good

Conclusion:

Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. During its long history it was mothballed various times, the last time in 1998. In 2012 the Islay distillery was bought by Remy Cointreau (France). Since, Bruichladdich is showing a healthy growth again. The distillery produces 3 types of Single Malt, i.e. the unpeated Bruichladdich & the heavily peated Port Charlotte & Octomore. The basic core range includes the Classic Laddie, Port Charlotte 10 Years and Octomore 10 Years. The annual production amounts to around 1.3 million litres of which 50% is currently peated.

A pleasant surprise with a good P/Q ratio. It has some flaws & off-notes but these are not off-putting and kind of contribute to the character of this Port Charlotte. If you like Young, Peated Islay Malt you can't go wrong with this 10 Year old.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                      February 2, 2023

Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2008 Review - Port Charlotte PC 12 Oileanach Furachail Review


Introduction:

Most of you know that I mainly use samples and miniatures when preparing my Reviews. I usually buy these in Holland and sometimes in Germany or the UK. Sometimes I receive samples from friends or readers or independent bottlers. In only two cases I received a few samples directly from distilleries. When planning my reviews for the next months I always try to give attention to all Scottish Whisky regions as well as other Whisky/Whiskey/Bourbon producing regions all over the world with special attention to the USA, Ireland and Japan. And last but not least the blends. At the request of many readers I give preference to more recent expressions. As a result, my backlog of older samples has increased quite a bit. To do justice to those samples I will review them in the format of Specials. These specials will deal with a specific distillery like today or with specific bottlers, countries or regions. The reviews in these Specials will concentrate on the Whisky and won't go into details about distilleries, maturation etc. I do hope you will like these Specials just as much as my regular reviews and I look forward to your reactions and suggestions. In today's special I will review two peated Port Charlotte expressions of the Bruichladdich distillery on Islay. Enjoy!
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Whisky Review # 753

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Distilled at: Bruichladdich
Brand: Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2008 (40PPM)
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 50%
Maturation: Most likely a mix of Ex-Bourbon Casks and European Oak.
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 60-70 (July 2018)
Buying Advice: 😔 Interesting Malt. Lots of Ashes. Expensive given its age!

Colour:

Chardonnay (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Young and a little Dirty but not unpleasant. Initially, the Smoke covers much of the other Aromas so be sure to give this Port Charlotte enough time in the glass. The Nose presents a combination of Floral, Fruity, Herbal and Farmyard notes.

Main Aromas:

Toasted Cereals, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Wet Clay, Dirty Smoke, Diesel, a mix of Cow Manure and Straw, Ashes, Burnt Tyres, Smoked Fish and Meat, Lemon, Green Apple and Pipe Tobacco.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Iodine, Soot, Oak Char, Dried Herbs, Cured Ham, Wax, Pine Needles, Pear, Leather, Mint and Papaya Cream.


Palate:

Young, a bit Rough and basically Bitter-Sweet. Quite Dry. Light Metallic Off-Note.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Cereals, Burnt Toast, Peated Biscuits, Salted Caramel, Dirty Smoke,  Wet Earth, Ashes, Soot, Straw, Green Apple, Lemon, Leather, Pepper and White Chocolate.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Heather-Honey, Charred Oak, Herbal Tea, Smoked Fish & Ham, Pear, Banana, Nuts, Coconut, Sultanas, Cloves and Licorice.


Finish:

Very Long, Bitter-Sweet and slightly Hot and Dirty. Dry towards the end. Lots of Ash! Too much in fact. You're left with the impression of having cleaned a full ashtray with your tongue. I also find Sweet Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Dirty Smoke, Sweet Peat, Smoked Fish and Ham, Banana, Green Apple, Herbal Tea, Heather-Honey, Nuts, Pepper, Charred Oak, Leather and Roasted Coffee.

Drinking Advice:

No need to add Water to this Port Charlotte despite the high ABV.

Rating: 85 

Nose: 22 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience

Good and sufficiently interesting. Lots of Ash though!

Conclusion:

Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. During its history it was mothballed various times, the last time in 1998. In 2012 the distillery was bought by Remy Cointreau. Since, Bruichladdich is showing a healthy growth again. The distillery produces three types of Single Malt, i.e. the unpeated Bruichladdich, the heavily peated Port Charlotte and the very heavily peated Octomore.

The Port Charlotte Islay Barley is one of the peated expressions of Bruichladdich and is made with Barley produced on 6 different farms on the isle of Islay. It's certainly an interesting Single Malt and there are more than enough interesting Aromas and Flavours to be discovered. It does contain an overdose of Ashes in my opinion and that's the reason I won't drink this Malt on a regular basis. But I enjoyed the Tasting session. It's a very Young Malt despite the Spicy price. It would be very interesting to see how this peated Bruichladdich would develop with more cask time. Would love to have a go at a 15 Year old Islay Barley!


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Whisky Review # 754

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Distilled at: Bruichladdich
Brand: Port Charlotte PC 12 Oileanach Furachail (40 PPM)
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS (Distilled in December 2008 - Released in 2014)
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 58.7% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: Most likely a mix of Ex-Bourbon casks and Sherry Wood. A few Wine casks perhaps?
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 140-200 (July 2018)
Buying Advice:😏 Not bad but too expensive for what it offers!

Colour:

Tawny/Auburn (Natural Colour)

Nose:

The Sherry Wood is quite noticeable and covers the Peat and Smoke with a Sweet layer. I find quite a bit of Sulphur and some Metallic notes as well. It's not as Dirty as Ledaig or even Springbank but there are a few similarities. The Port Charlotte is much Sweeter though. I expected a Peat/Smoke Beast but on the Nose that's not the case. At 40 PPM this comes as a slight surprise.

Main Aromas:

Smoky Grist, Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Farmyard, Straw, Dried Fruit like Plums, Apricots and Sultanas, Dirty Earth, Charred Oak, Polished Leather, Wet Stones, Iodine, Lemon & Grapefruit Juice, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate and Bacon/Fish on the BBQ.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Cooked Vegetables, Vanilla, Apple, Brown Sugar, Varnish, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Bitter Orange, Pineapple, Blueberry Pie, Heather-Honey, Mint and Cinnamon.


Palate:

Bitter-Sweet, a bit Hot and slightly Soapy and Dirty. More Peat and Smoke than on the Nose. The Sherry, Sulphur - and Metallic notes remain noticeable. Quite Oily as well.

Main Flavours:

Toasted and Malted Cereals, Salted Caramel, Sweet Dirty Peat, Factory Smoke, Wet Stones, Tar, Soot, Ashes, Dried Fruit like Plums and Apricots, Grapefruit and Lemon Juice, Bitter Orange, Licorice, Pepper, Ginger and Banana Ice Cream.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Rubber, Gasoline, Vanilla, Burnt Heather, Smoked Ham, Bacon, Polished Leather, Salted Peanuts, Roasted Coffee, Port/Bordeaux Wine, Cloves and Mint.


Finish:

Middle-Long, Bitter-Sweet, a little Rubbery and Medium-Dry towards the end. The Alcohol, Smoke and Soot are much more present than on the Nose. I find Toasted and Malted Cereals, Factory Smoke, Dirty Earth, Tar, Soot, Ashes, light Sulphur, Wet Rocks/Sand, Charred Oak, Salted Peanuts, Vanilla, Orange, Banana Ice Cream, Dried Fruit like Figs and Plums, Dark Chocolate, Port Wine, Polished Leather, Nuts, Espresso, Bacon/Pork on the BBQ, Licorice, Menthol and Pepper.

Drinking Advice:

Despite the high ABV I advise against adding Water. I got images of Menthol flavoured joint gel or something similar. Quite Weird. Better sip it neat.

Rating: 85.5

Nose: 21 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 21.5 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience:

Good/Interesting. A bit too much Dirty notes like Sulphur, Rubber, Plastic and Varnish. This is not mainstream stuff. Springbank and Ledaig fans might give this one a go!

Conclusion:

Oileanach Furachail means "Islander that Pays Attention" and refers to Master Distiller Adam Hannett's apprenticeship with Jim McEwan from 2006-2015.

It's not easy to judge these Port Charlotte Malts. The Oileanach Furachail is certainly an interesting Single Malt. You won't get bored with this one. It's not mainstream stuff that makes you yawn. But it does carry a lot of Dirty half Off-notes. At this Price-Level I would like to see a stricter Cask Management. Like the Islay Barley above, the PC 12 is not a whisky for daily consumption. But it's certainly interesting to enjoy a dram once in a while, especially for those who enjoy Springbank and Ledaig. A last suggestion: I have a feeling it would pair very well with Charcoal grilled Sardines.
Jan van den Ende                                                                       July 23, 2018

The Pictures were taken during our visit to Bruichladdich in May 2014.

Octomore 2007 RBTW Review


“I Want (Octo) More!!!”

Country: Scotland
Region: Islay
Brand: Octomore 2007 RBTW Limited Edition
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: 6 Years
ABV: 64.5 %
Chill Filtration: No
Whisky Review # 557

Colour: Light Golden/White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose: Be sure to give this Octomore enough time in the glass. The strong Peat and Alcohol try to hide the fact that we are nosing a very young Whisky here. I must admit though that it works out quite nicely. I also find Burnt Straw, Burnt Toast, Smoked Bacon, light Rubber, Salted Nuts, light Leather, Fresh Herbs and Vegetables, light Vanilla, White Orchard Fruit, Citrus Peel, Marc d' Alsace, light Pepper, Mint and Oak Char. The Peat is quite strong at over 150 PPM and tends to dominate the other Aromas. Still, this young Octomore certainly shows some Character and Depth on the Nose. Well Done!

Palate: Strong Delivery as was to be expected. This is not a Beginner's Dram! I find Dirty Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, light Rubber/Plastic, Soot, Charred Oak, Strong Black Coffee, Sour Apples, Pear, Lemon, Toasted Almonds, Fresh Herbs, Marc d' Alsace, Toffee, light Vanilla, Dried Grapes, Pepper, Ginger and Mint. This is a very strong Islay that packs a Punch despite its Youth. I can imagine me enjoying a dram or two after having strolled on the Island on a Misty, Rainy Morning!     

Finish: Extremely Long, Spicy, Malty and Bitter Sweet. Dry towards the end. I find Toasted Cereals, Malt Biscuits, Earthy Peat, Cold Smoke, Ashes, Rubber, Oak, Lemon, Green Apple, Pear, Almonds, Marc d' Alsace (Gewurztraminer), Pepper, Ginger and Menthol. This Octomore really keeps you busy here!  

Given the small size of the sample I only tasted it neat. I assume there is quite some space to add a little Water given the high ABV. Based on my experience with peated Malts I would say that Barley and Floral notes might come to the front, accompanied by a little Chocolate perhaps. 

Rating: 87.5    

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21.5 - Finish: 22.5 - Overall: 22 


General Remarks: Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. The distillery changed hands various times over the years. It stopped producing from 1929 to 1936, from 1983 to 1993 and from 1995 to 2001 although it did produce a couple of months in 1998. In the year 2000 the distillery was bought by Murray McDavid who brought Bruichladdich back on the Whisky map. He did this so successfully that he was able to sell the distillery in 2012 to the French spirit giant Remy Cointreau. 

The Octomore I'm tasting today was distilled at Bruichladdich on the 19th of December 2007. It matured for 6 years on Islay in an Ex-Sauternes Cask with # R0000016751 and was bottled at Cask Strength by/for the Independent Bottler Fox Fitzgerald Whisky Trading under their Rest & Be Thankful Label on the 18th of November, 2014. Only 302 bottles went to the market. Some are available with prices that vary a lot from place to place but are usually in the US$ 220-290 range (September 2016).  

"The name Rest & Be Thankful comes from an inscription on a stone made by soldiers who built a military road in 1753 on the West coast of Scotland. The road out of Glen Crow was so long and so steep that it was almost traditional for travellers to rest on the top and be thankful for having reached the highest point. When drinking this Whisky, you might experience the same pleasure".

Drinking Experience Neat: Very Good.    

Conclusion: I was pleasantly surprised by this Octomore. I must admit I had my doubts given its young age but somehow this combination of heavy Peat, high ABV, a good Cask and young Bruichladdich Spirit works. The price of this Malt is quite high but if you have the cash to spare I can certainly recommend this Octomore if you are into heavily peated Malt. What I like most about this Single Malt is the fact that it's quite complex for such a young Spirit. It remains very interesting right from the Nose until the extremely long Finish. Imagine, if this Octomore would have matured for another 8 Years or so. I can only imagine the beauty of the balance of the Peat and the other Aromas and Flavours at such an advanced age. It would almost certainly have rocketed into my personal Top 5. The way it stands though, it's still a very nice and strong Islay malt. I will now Rest & Be Thankful.    

Jan van den Ende                                                              September 7, 2016