Bruichladdich 2010
This is a classic example of Bruichladdich, the unpeated version of ‘Port Charlotte’. In spite of Islay’s reputation as a powerhouse for peat, unpeated is the true house style of this Islay distillery.
10 years is usually how long Bruichladdich gets for maturation, and this cask is exactly that age now. The fresh bourbon barrel brings intensely sweet and zingy notes to the whisky, similar to but more intense than would be found in a refill hogshead. Great care in barley husbandry and artisanal distilling ensure that the flavours of this malt sing clearly and vibrantly.
If you already love a classic ‘Laddie, then this cask is ready. If you want to push it and see how far it can go, it still has many potential years of maturation ahead of it.
Auction estimate: £22,000 – £24,000
Islay is a little too small, a little too sparse and a little too exposed to have ever made a real go of barley growing beyond the self-sufficiency of the Ileachs. Bruichladdich is probably the distillery that cares more than any other about the barley they make their whisky from. Islay is their Eden – the garden from which a hardy, coastal bere will spring and cover the land from beach to clifftop in golden-brown grain. That day is not here yet, but the current Malt Whiskies from Bruichladdich ensure that as much of the barley is Islay-grown as possible, and Scottish where not. This attention to their barley shows in the complexity of their whisky, where malty flavours form a wonderful backdrop to a soft fruitiness, in peated and unpeated varieties.