Rhinns is an unusual whisky— it was an experiment that Bruichladdich produced as a one off by combining unpeated Bruichladdich and heavily peated Port Charlotte at birth to produce a medium peated malt. The name of the spirit was presumably a reference to one of the points on the bay where the Lochindaal distillery once stood (also known as Port Charlotte). Bruichladdich has of course produced whiskies using all of these appellations, and once had plans to rebuild and reopen the Port Charlotte/Lochindaal distillery.

Those plans never came to be, and since Bruichladdich was sold in 2012, the idea seems to be permanently on ice. I imagine it will remain one of those what-ifs in the history of the modern whisky industry, especially as several distilleries have opened on the island since.

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Whisky: Bruichladdich Rhinns 12 Year (2011), The Single Cask Ltd. Cask 46

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 60.4%

Cask: First Fill Bourbon Barrel

Age: 12 Years (Distilled 2 Nov. 2011, Bottled 25 March 2024)

Notes: Charred driftwood and bleached coral on the beach, the aroma was coastal with an inviting blanket of barbecue smoke beckoning me further in. Grilled shellfish with a twist of lemon grabbed my attention while more subtle grilled pineapple and burning cane lingered in the background. Farmy at times, though more sugar cane field than animal pasture. Medium-bodied, the flavor profile began with a sweet, citrusy kick in the taste buds as more burning cane, scallops on the grill, and hot tar followed. Acrid and sweet with a tinge of bitterness at the end, this bordered on passionfruit crème brûlée when creamier elements appeared. More grilled shellfish and brine waited at the end with a hint of medicinal herbs and muscle rubs. The finish was long and peppery with a coastal brine, charred driftwood, and briny shellfish.

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Score: 7-8 (85)

Mental Image: Secret Convocation of the Shellfish Grill Masters

Conclusion: Each of the four Rhinns I have tried have been incredibly different— it is hard to see a through line for them. This felt more like Port Charlotte or Lochindaal than the bottles from Dramfool or Thompson Brothers, with more savory grill and beach notes— though less of the farmy animal funk. Overall, the flavor profile and general evolution of this whisky was more up my alley than the other Rhinns I have tried. It was coherent with a lovely peaty character and nice long peppery finish.