Whisky : Bruichladdich 8 Year, Lady of the Glen

Country/Region : Scotland/Islay

ABV : 65.8%

Cask : First Fill Bourbon Barrel

Age : 8 Year (Distilled 26 Jan. 2011, Bottled 1 Oct. 2019)

Nose : Citrus fruit, creamy funk, and malty pastries.  Yogurt, funky soft cheese, and baby vomit— classic and instantly recognizable Laddie aromas.  Citrus fruits with oranges and tangerines hung in the background.  Salty sea air complemented by malty digestive biscuits and cinnamon sugar cookies.

Palate : Medium to full-bodied with a viscous oily quality and a sweet profile of creamy funk, citrus, and wood.  Sweet and sour notes of lemon curd, orange marmalade, double cream yogurt, fresh cheese, and sour cream.  Oily and floral at times with lemon pepper and a mild saltiness.  Toward the end were woody notes of sandalwood and dried bamboo.

Finish : Lingering milk sugars and citrus candies

Score : 4

Mental Image : Sandalwood Frozen Yogurt

Notes : Hot, wild, and funky— this Laddie might appeal to fans of the Classic Laddie and anyone else who loves a creamy, slightly spoiled, might-be-baby-vomit funk.  Those notes are not my favorite, and this Laddie waded far deep into a sweet sticky lactic funk that did not vibe with me at all.

While the flavor profile was not to my taste, I did enjoy the mouthfeel. It had a lovely rich viscosity that coated the palate, and the finish was intense and long-lasting as the lingering flavor notes melted into orange cream candies. It was a tad hot on the palate, but a few drops of water brought things in line, and I did notice from the first time I tried this to the last that the dram did quiet down a fair bit so that by my final tasting, I did not feel the need to add any water.  

Overall, I am sure this would please fans of Laddie’s funky side, but it was not to my taste. That is no knock against Lady of the Glen, who I think bottle loads of interesting and fine scotch, but Laddie does not do it for me. If the flavor notes still sound pretty good to you, this might hit the spot if you can find it. A friend was gracious enough to share their bottle, and I hope he enjoyed it a lot more than I did.