Review by: Raygun

A private cask that’s a little mysterious. I’m told distilled in 2004, so bottled in 2016 or thereabouts. A sherry cask, that’s certain. Otherwise don’t know much about it, including who selected it. But hey, what could go wrong? Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 15 minutes.

---

Distillery: Bruichladdich  

Bottler: Bruichladdich    

Region/style: Islay single malt Scotch

ABV: 50%. Probably not cask strength.  

Age: 12 years. Reportedly distilled in 2004. 

Cask type: Sherry cask #0701, 303 bottles. Sounds like a hogshead, unless it was a butt that was split.

Color: 1.8 old oak. Natural color. Non-chill-filtered. Expecting a lot of cask influence from the appearance.

---

Nose: Yup, that’s a lot of sherry. Raisins, dried figs, cherries, and brown sugar. Candied pecans. Some musty leather, but mostly fruit driven.  

Palate: Much as the nose suggested, it’s a sherry punch in the face. More musty leather, which I happen to enjoy, and sun-dried tomatoes. Heavy on the raisins, prunes, and dried cherries. A little aniseed, but not much spice. 

Finish: Black tea, prunes, raisins, sun-dried tomatoes. In short, not too different from the palate. Has a little savory aspect, even as it’s very fruity. A little bit like salted licorice. 

---

Conclusion: You get pretty much what you expect: a very sherried Bruichladdich. Along the lines of some of the Micro-Provenance or Valinch bottlings. Although it’s a private cask, those deliver a similar experience. It’s a competent sherry bomb, but doesn’t particularly stand out in that category.  

Buy a bottle? Not something I’d chase.

Score: 79

---

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)