Whisky: Bruichladdich 18 Year (2005), Rest & Be Thankful Cask 899

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 54.8%

Cask: Rivesaltes Hogshead

Age: 18 Years (Distilled July 2005, Bottled July 2023)

Nose: Lactic and creamy, artificial butter, caramel, chocolate; subtle brine and meat with a tangy sourness.

Palate: Medium-bodied, tannic and woody, fruity candies, cotton candy, chocolate, peppery and spirited toward the end— a touch raw; lactic sourness.

Finish: Long and drying with hints of fruity hard candies and lactic sourness.

Score: 3 (65)

Mental Image: Candy Factory Quality Control

Narrative & Notes: Mellow lactic notes of cream and artificial movie theater butter arrived with milky caramel, nougat, and chocolate— the ultimate theater snack of deep fried Twinkies, Snickers, and a bucket of buttery popcorn. A touch of brine, meat, and malt coalesced as pâté or mousse— uncharitably cat food— with a tangy sourness. Medium-bodied and slightly syrupy, the whisky had notable wood tannins that stretched out toward the end with a lingering drying astringency. The flavors featured grape-flavored candy floss and cotton candy alongside the artificial fruitiness of a blueberry Kit Kat. Peppery and spirited toward the end, a lactic sourness came through more toward the end before fruity candies appeared on a long and drying finish.

The first time I tried this I was unimpressed enough that, even though I took no notes, the notion that the whisky was flawed and overly woody registered somewhere deep down.  The sample I took home that day was given some months to rest as I hoped the tannins would soften allowing a more balanced mouthfeel and complex array of flavors to emerge. After trying it at home, I waited a few more months to return to it a second time… it did not get better or really soften much at all.

The whisky was surprisingly peppery, spirited, and raw on the back end and finish. Though this was a first fill rivesaltes cask, I wondered if it had been used multiple times for the wine, as there seemed to be fairly limited wood influence beyond the tannins and the hue of the whisky was very light.

I am a bit stunned— I really did not like this at all.  I count R&BT as a consistently great bottler with a high floor and ceiling to any given cask, yet this was a train wreck.

Considering how the flavors and sample seemed to degrade after I gave them more time to rest, I wondered if this was actually much better at the time of bottling and just shifted in a less desirable direction later on.  I have no idea, though a friend suggested perhaps someone with a preference for wild wine casks, or even blind to the off notes of a tainted cask, picked it out.