Whisky: Bruichladdich 18 Year (2004) "Re/Define"

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 50%

Cask: Bourbon, Sauternes, Port

Age: 18 Years (Distilled 2004, Bottled 14 Nov. 2023)

Nose: Currants and plums, fruit and cream, subtle of earth and mellow barn; creamy citrus sodas with a touch of dried grass and coastal salt.

Palate: Medium-bodied with citrus rind and cream, mellow maritime brine, musty earth and dried grass, wood, hints of pepper.

Finish: Long and lingering with citrusy zest, earth, and wood.

Score: 7 (83)

Mental Image: Frosty Treats at the Zoo

Narrative & Notes: Wine cask elements stood out immediately with currants and plums from the port casks and oranges from the Sauternes.  The unpeated Bruichladdich malt poked out from under the cask as plenty of funky cream, cheese rind, and more mellow impressions of musty earth and barn appeared.  Together it was orange cream sodas at Taronga zoo with hints of salty air mingling with the musty hay of the Bongo barn. Medium-bodied with orange peel and tangerine candies alongside a mellow maritime brine and musty earth. It was all dusty trails with sun-bleached wood, dried grass, cracked pepper, and hints of licorice. The finish was long with lingering citrusy zest, earth, and wood.

After hearing rave reviews from friends I made sure to grab a sample of this whisky to try. However, the motivation to finally pour and review it came from an entirely different reaction.  A gentleman on a local Facebook whisky group posted his thoughts on the bottle describing it as having “not a ton of flavor, alot of very long burn… oddly off putting.”  I admit my curiosity was burning after he called it “absolute dog water.”

After that scathing review, I was almost disappointed that this was perfectly enjoyable and a fine step up from the classic Laddie. I expected something more divisive.  Sometimes the flavors on mature Bruichladdich can be a bit muddled, especially when lots of different casks are vatted together, however, that was not an issue here in the slightest. The cask influence was present but balanced and the finish nice and long. There was a touch of Laddie funk to it, but those creamier and earthier notes never went fully into the barnyard or lactic baby vomit direction.

Overall, well-composed and balanced.  Bongo barn pictured above.