Whisky : Bruichladdich The Ternary Project

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 52.1%

Cask : Sherry, Bourbon, Wine

Nose : Fruit, barbecue, and barnyard funk. Loads of sweet barbecue and char.  Farmyard funk along with notes of sweet grilled meat, char siu pork, and wood chips.  Beyond the barbecue were spoiled tropical fruits, tropical farm compost with coconut husk, bamboo, and fruit—hints of twangy fresh farm cheese and cranberry.

Palate : Full-bodied and very syrupy with notes of fruit and wood upfront while smoke, meat, and farmyard funk hung in the background. Jammy at first with strawberries, cassis, and raspberries. Faint bits of spoiled fruit and farm came through around the edges while caramelized peaches, flan, and sweetened condensed milk stood out. Toward the backend were notes of charred wood and smoked meat.

Finish :  Lingering fruit with subtle acrid smoke.

Score : 8

Mental Image : Farmer Cheese and Grilled Fruit

Notes : This special edition from Bruichladdich featured whiskies from all three of the distillery’s labels vatted together.  Pre-1994 unpeated Bruichladdich aged in second fill bourbon hogsheads and then finished in French wine and PX sherry butts comprised 30%. Another 30% came from 2008 vintage Octomore aged in a variety of sweet wine and bourbon casks. The other 40% was early 2000s Port Charlotte aged in first-fill bourbon, oloroso sherry, and virgin oak casks.

I thought the Port Charlotte elements stood out on the nose. The flavor profile was sweeter and more syrupy than I expected. Loads of sweet fruits upfront with smoke, peat only arriving on the back end.

Overall, the Ternary Project made for a lovely dram, though the price point feels directed more at collectors than consumers. Indeed, the use of old Laddie and Octomore make this a rare treat, but it was hard to imagine that the premium was worth it. Yes, the flavors were good— the dram is rich and intense— but I would not necessarily recommend this over other Bruichladdich products, especially some of the wine finished or matured Port Charlottes.

Image Credit: Bruichladdich