Whisky: Bruichladdich 21 Year (1989) Black Art 2.2

Country/Region: Scotland/Islay

ABV: 49.7%

Cask: American and European Oak

Age: 21 Years (Distilled 1989, Bottled 2010)

Nose: Creamy caramel and nougat with sea salt, pencil shavings, licorice and cherry candies, hints of nutty roasted pistachio; subtle notions of seared fish and meaty Maillard reactions.

Palate: Medium to full-bodied with berries, earth, and subtle meat; jujube, dried plums, licorice, and grape leaves shifted toward butterscotch and licorice hard candies before more savory notes of seared fatty fish and earthy shiitake mushrooms developed.

Finish: Lingering earthy and slightly funky mushrooms with a kiss of salt, an open tea chest, and a touch of berry.

Score: 6 (79)

Mental Image: Witches Prepping for Halloween

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was gooey and loaded with caramel and creamy nougat accented with sea salt. Plenty of classic vintage Bruichladdich pencil shavings and old wood carried on with big wine and sherry cask notes, dried and salted fruits, licorice, nuts, and hints of something meatier— the sweet char of fish skin in a hot pan? The palate was much the same, with a lovely rich viscosity and big sweet fruits building into waves of butterscotch and licorice candies. The savory notes, shy on the nose, came on stronger toward the back end of the palate with fatty fish and earthy mushrooms.  The finish continued the dominant themes with old wood returning alongside tea and berries.

It was not hard to see why these early Black Art releases attracted such a dedicated following and why fans, or fanatics, of the distillery, have held their breath at every changing of the guard— what will the new folks do the spirit— both new and old?  Change must occur; after all, the stockpile of 80s and 90s casks must be running low at this point and Jim McEwan retired nearly a decade ago.

Overall, I found this a touch sweet for my taste and not really something I would reach for very often. I love funky mushroom and meaty Maillard notes, but the butterscotch, caramel, and nougat were too much and overshadowed other elements. I have a low threshold for sweet and candy notes, though. Otherwise, the whisky developed nicely and featured a beautiful long finish.