Review by: TOModera

So that’s a long name… may have missed the last part.

This is part of the reviews for the recent Feather’s Pub meetup , with other redditors, out beyond our natural habitats, drinking like fools.

I’m also going in reverse order due to a tick that burrowed into my brain when I was younger.

Or rather, because I wanna.

So the night is going well. I’ve skipped Lowland tonight, done some Speysides and Highlands, and now know I have to pick an Islay. Why? Because I’m a big fan of Islays, that’s why.

And I need something without a lot of Peat, as I’m having a peated Campbeltown… not that I know it’s peated yet, I just can’t take the risk of hosing down my tongue with smoked dirt.

So I announce (as I’ve been drinking) that I’m having Bruichladdich 16 year old First Growth Cuvée A: Pauillac (Chateau Lafite). Well, actually I announce I’m having Bruichladdich 16 Bordeaux, but let’s not be sticklers to the truth THAT much.

And people hear me. And because they are whisky nerds who haven’t learned to ignore me yet, they follow my lead. And I’m sweating.

Because I honestly know nothing about this dram.

I mean, now I can tell you that Bruichladdich 16 year old First Growth Cuvée A: Pauillac (Chateau Lafite) is part of a 6 part series released by Bruichladdich, and each one was finished in casks that had wine from French First Growth vineyards (you know that’s important, what with the capitals used).

And this is finished in Pauillac casks that comes from Chateua Lafite. But it doesn’t stop there: Pauillac isn’t the name of a single grape, it’s rather a blended red wine made up of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdoc. So it’s even crazier. And it’s from a big winery owned by Aristocrats and stuff, and as a colonist, that’s frightening to me.

Will I be caned? Probably not, but we can only hope.

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Distillery: Bruichladdich Distillery.

Bottler: Distillery Bottling.

Region: Islay, Scotland.

ABV: 46%.

Age: 16 years. Bottled October, 2008.

Cask type: Finished in Château Lafite-Rothschild – Pauillac Red Wine Casks

Price: N/A.

Color: Tim Horton’s Peach Drink.

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Nose: Floral, strawberry, slight peat, lemonade

So it’s a simple nose, light, nothing too awful. Can’t pick out a specific flower in it, though there’s a fruitiness and a little bit of peat that Bruichladdich adds in.

Taste: Dry, strawberry, anise, pork fat, lemon, dandelion

Dry, fruity, and some salty or bitter flavours. It’s all meshing together at this point. I take a few more sips of water to ensure I haven’t bombasted (yes that’s a verb) my tongue. Nope, it’s quite smooth.

Very smooth. Almost forgettable smooth.

Finish: Earth, molasses, herbal, parsley, musty, little peach

Lots of earth at the end. Almost like they took the whole ‘Cuvée’ and added it to my mouth. Still smooth though, which is different.

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Conclusion: There’s not much to say about this dram, and I can see why it’s the entry level part of the Cuvée series. It’s smooth, and that’s not bad. However it’s also forgettable. No real star of the show, save for the earth at the end, and even that’s a little lackluster.

It needs… more. I don’t know if the Casks were old or maybe the short time the wine is in them (18-20 months) didn’t give much flavouring to the whisky. Whatever the reason, this is a pass for me. It’s okay, and a smooth earth finish is unique, though not enough to make me want to hunt this one down.

Final Score: 70.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.