This Bruichladdich spent more time in the glass than it did the cask: only eighteen short years in a sherry cask, but thirty long ones in a glass bottle. At that point, the Dornoch Castle Bar decanted it into wee wax topped bottles and offered drams on their website. I grabbed this because of the price and vintage— certainly not because of any reviews or notes that I found online. I figured that even if it was not great whisky, it was likely to be fun. By reputation these 90s Cadenhead bottles can be a touch raw and spirited. 

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Whisky: Bruichladdich 18 Year (1976), Cadenhead’s

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 54.2

Cask: Sherrywood

Age: 18 Years (Distilled Dec. 1976, Bottled March 1995)

Notes: Orange cream pops and summer treats enjoyed in the brambles, the aroma was fruity and creamy with plenty of wood and herbal spice— though occasionally the bright citrus turned toward ethanol with a bit of burn. Acorns, dandelions, and a bit of rotting vegetation and termites reminded me of backyard adventures. There was something fresh and green in front of the mustier and sweeter scents of decay. A touch spirited and raw at times, the aroma was lively, with sawdust, kerosene, and wood stain. Medium-bodied, the whisky was peppery and spirited, a rather raw experience with botanical spice and dried citrus which felt rather medicinal— a tonic to expel offending humors. Peppercorns and oak carried on as the whisky grew more tannic with dandelion and peppery greens coming into play for a slightly sour, peppery finale. The finish was medium to short, slightly effervescent with the spirited tingle, citrus, peppery greens, and muddy lake fish.

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Score: 5 (75)

Mental Image: Backyard and Garage Foraging

Conclusion: This was certainly a fun whisky, though not one that I will rush to try again. It was not bad, but it was not good— I tried to imagine how I would score a modern Aultmore or something if it presented with a flavor profile like this (sorry, Aultmore catching strays). How much did I up-score this based on the vintage and provenance of the dram? Hard to say, the flavors were so odd and unlike modern malts, that I would be shocked to find something like them on a whisky today. Yes, this was rather raw and spirited (I have no idea where the sherrywood went), but it was also dirty, musty, and muddy in the way some old fashioned whiskies can be. Overall, a fun experience— a bit like an amusement park ride that you never want to do again.

Image Credit: Thompson Brothers