Whisky : Bruichladdich 15 Year; Valinch & Mallet “Hidden Casks Collection”

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 54.1%

Cask : Ex-Madeira Butt

Nose : Earthy funk.  Wet paste and papier-mâché, oil paints, old newspaper, and wet clay; smells like a Middle School art project.  Hot buttery popcorn, nori flakes, kakimochi— it is Hurricane Popcorn served in a shoe box.  The wife also picked up loads of dried earthy shiitake mushrooms.

Palate : The palate matches the nose almost perfectly: slightly burnt popcorn, artificial butter, nori flakes, and kakimochi rice crackers.  There is a definite funk to the palate— downwind an elephant paddock at the zoo, burning tires, a sulfurous hot spring, or rehydrated shiitake mushrooms (or the water they were soaked in).  

Finish :  Lingering salty sugars and popcorn.

Score : 4

Mental Image : Why did you pop the popcorn upside down?

Something Better : Loch Lomond 22Y; DL’s OP (similar Hurricane popcorn, more butter, less earth/sulphur)

Something Similar : Chivas Regal 18 Year (similar buttery notes, more pastries, less body)

Something Worse : Bruichladdich Laddie 10Y (more citrus and barn, less complexity/earthiness)

Notes : Weird and certain to be divisive.

I do not have a ton of experience with Bruichladdich— while I absolutely adore Port Charlotte and the occasional fling with Octomore— the namesake unpeated lineup has never grabbed my attention.  Maybe it was a bad experience with the Laddie Ten that drove me away.  Maybe is the fact that I love Port Charlotte so much I just do not see a point in drinking anything else from the distillery.  No matter the reason, I have consciously and unconsciously ignored Bruichladdich figuring it just did not suit my tastes.

This bottle does not have me converted— but it has me curious.  It was just so weird that one moment I loved it, the next moment I cocked an eye and looked at it in disgust.  I can easily see how some might love this and others find it to be a wretched overly sulfurous drain-pour.  It is unique and I can dig that.  I thought it was interesting— not so interesting that I want a bottle of it, I am sure if I had one it would take years to finish— but interesting enough that I enjoyed the experience and would happily accept a pour from someone (assuming I had no more desirable options).

Picture Credit : The Whisky Exchange