Whisky : Port Charlotte 6 Year, Private Cask Blood Tub #19

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 58%

Cask : Sherry Blood Tub

Age : 6 Year (Distilled 25 April 2002, Bottled 6 June 2008)

Nose : Char, fruit, and cleaning chemicals. At first, notes of BBQ potato chips, char siu rind, and cherries jubilee with charred orange peel brought a slightly posh grill to mind. Woody and antiseptic notes gradually built up as the dram rested so that acetone, pool chlorine, wood resin, and pine sol dominated. Subtle tangy barbecue hid in the background with vanilla and Karai crab seasoned popcorn. A few drops of water added bitter notes of espresso.

Palate : Full-bodied with heavy tannins and notes of antiseptic cleaning solution, spice, and chocolate. Mineral laden, the body was thick with leather, old tobacco, black pepper, and cinnamon. The dominant characteristic was its astringent and drying mouthfeel with notes of pine sole and hospital cleaning solutions. On the back palate were bitter notes of dark chocolate and coffee.

Finish : Lingering astringency with dark chocolate, apple, and burnt-out fireworks.

Score : 5

Mental Image : Nurse Ratched’s Cleaning Closet

Notes : An intense affair, this Port Charlotte was thick, heavy, and incredibly tannic. The profile was aggressive— ready to battle in a no holds barred contest— with the combination of an astringent mouthfeel and antiseptic-bitter flavor profile. I thought a few drops of water would tame the beast and, while they did tamp down some of the tannins, they brought out a great deal more bitter coffee and chocolate. I was surprised just how antiseptic the dram remained throughout, even with water. Antiseptic is a quality I typically associate Laphroaig or Ardbeg rather than Bruichladdich.

The whole experience here was unique from the slightly bizarre Port Charlotte profile to the cask— as far as I understand it, there were not many Port Charlotte blood tubs filled at Bruichladdich. For those who have never encountered them, blood tubs are typically 30-40 liters, or about 1/3 the size of a quarter cask. Knowing how small they are, it was not surprising that something that spent six years in one would be a tad aggressive with loads of wood and sherry influence.