Review by: Raygun
Been a number of these limited Port Charlottes in the last few years with different cask types: Cognac, Marsala, Mouton Rothschild, and so on. This Sauternes one was released in 2022.
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Bottler: Bruichladdich
Region/style: Islay single malt Scotch
ABV: 55.2%. Cask strength.
Age: 9 years. Distilled in 2012 and bottled in 2022.
Cask type: Bourbon casks first, then finished in Sauternes casks.
Color: 1.0 deep copper. Natural color and non-chill-filtered.
Price: $160
Nose: Sweet and briny. Pineapple cakes, kouign amann pastry, almonds, and a curl of smoke. Got a touch of tarragon.
Palate: Charred pineapple, litchi, waffles, smoked caramel, kiwi. Lots of tropical fruit, with a custardy pastry flavor as well. The smoke plays a supporting role rather than dominating.
Finish: Caramel waffles, pineapple, kiwi, and some litchi. Clean woodsmoke. Fruity, buttery, and smoky. Has that subtle herbal flavor. Medium length.
Conclusion: Didn’t wow me on my first impression, but I’ve liked it more since. A victim of expectations, perhaps. Longrow Sauternes 11, which was a full maturation, is one of my top peated whiskies ever, and I was hoping for something at that level. After I finished the PC I poured a tiny bit of the Longrow to compare and it’s clearly better. It’s still very good. Sauternes and peat work so well together.
Score: 83
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
- 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
- 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)
Malt Runners 
