Review by: dustbunna
Distillery: Bruichladdich.
Bottler: Distillery bottling.
Region: Islay.
ABV: 50%.
Age: NAS. Bottled in 2017.
Cask type: Undisclosed (possibly vatting of ex-bourbon and French oak.)
Price: $40 for a 3x 200mL set.
Natural Color. Non-chill-filtered.
Bottle open across approx. 2 months, notes taken leisurely across that period. Bold notes taken beneath the shoulder, regular-formatted notes taken further into the bottle past the halfway point, italicized notes taken towards the heel.
Nose: funky ~ malt and lemon up front, lemon cake, a bit meaty, sea salt, dead leaves.
Palate: thick body ~ lemon and malt follow through, old books, burnt dust, an intensely floral note, kelp, cooked apples, a bit musty and peppery.
Finish: long ~ more old books, minerals, lemon zest, floral (gardenia), starts to fall off a little.
Conclusion: I’ve tried Laddie Islay Barley varietals distilled in 2007, 2011, 2013, and 2014, and this one is considerably more complex than any of those. I wish I could compare it to the 2010 standard release, to see if they are from the same vatting—this bottle is from a Bruichladdich sampler set, and instead of a distillation year or details about the barley sources, it simply bears the phrase ‘We Believe Terroir Matters.’ Only its 2017 bottling date might link it to any regular Islay Barley release (the 2010 batch would fit that timeline.)
It’s hard to tell if this little 200mL is just unusually funky from some kind of storage issue—the corks on Bruichladdich’s samplers were notoriously bad, and all of this set were in less than great shape. Then again, if it is the same batch as the 2010, the addition of active French oak might have set it off in a different direction, replacing the white wine component in most Islay Barleys. Either way, the cooked apples, dusty old books and kelp are definitely unexpected, framing the more typical malt/lemon/mineral center. This all becomes mustier and dustier with time, more spice starts to sneak in at the seams.
When I first opened it, I thought this was easily the best Islay Barley I’d tried yet, but after a short while it had already started to slip—to the point where I finished it off earlier than I might otherwise, lest it become less enjoyable if I let it sit further. Still very good whisky, but it might have been at its best when first opened.
Final Score: 83.
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.
Malt Runners 