Scotch

Bruichladdich & Port Charlotte
Photo courtesy of Bruichladdich Distillery

Photo courtesy of Bruichladdich Distillery

The Bruichladdich Distillery has been around since the 1880s, and it has been producing whisky pretty much since then.  Originally founded by the Harvey brothers, it changed owners several times since.  It’s currently owned by Rémy Cointreau.

The distillery has three different lines, so to speak.  There’s Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore series.  Bruichladdich features unpeated whiskies, including their standard Classic Laddie expression.  Port Charlotte, named after the Islay town, is a series of heavily peated whiskies.  The Octomore series are limited edition super-peated releases.  Bruichladdich utilizes tall long-necked stills for distillation, resulting in a light and floral spirit.

Bruichladdich carries the theme of authenticity throughout all their releases.  For starters, that  means their whiskies are non-chill filtered and color free.  Both of the standard whiskies below are bottled at 50% abv.

Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie

Photo courtesy of Bruichladdich.

Photo courtesy of Bruichladdich.

This unpeated offering is the distillery’s flagship bottling.  The whisky is made from 100% Scottish barley and aged entirely on Islay.  See, a lot of distilleries age a large percentage of their stock on the Scottish mainland.  The only other “standard” unpeated Islay whisky I know of is Bunnahabhain.  Their’s does retain a slight salty note reminiscent of maturation near the Atlantic.

How is it?  On the nose, there’s a rich honeyed malt.  A little alcohol vapor aside, The Classic Laddie offers a touch of citrus (think crisp lemon rind) and some vanilla.  Tasting this neat, the higher proof comes into play.  It’s not “smooth” and reminds me I’m drinking whisky.  There are big honey, light toffee and malt notes right off the bat, along with lemongrass and a floral note.  That honeyed malt note carries over into the long finish.

While not overly complex, The Classic Laddie offers a full-flavored whisky that retains a crispness and lightness.  I didn’t get any saltiness or maritime notes.  Instead, this expression lets the malt shine, and that’s not a bad thing.

8/10

Port Charlotte Scottish Barley

Photo courtesy of Bruichladdich.

Photo courtesy of Bruichladdich.

Onto the peated stuff.  Port Charlotte (PC) is distilled at the Bruichladdich distillery and matured a couple of miles away at old aging warehouses in Port Charlotte.  According to the bottle, PC carries peat levels of 40PPM, or 40 phenol parts per million.  A lot of other peated whiskies are usually at or below 25PPM.  This expression is another member of the company’s core lineup.

As soon as I uncorked the bottle, I knew I was in for a phenolic treat.  The nose is full of antiseptic spray, vanilla, honey and a slight earthy note.  It’s not as heavy a hit of peat as Laphroaig 10 year.  Here, the peat is a bit lighter but still full of character.  I hope I’m making sense here.  Taste-wise, there’s a nice combination of sweet and peat.  Toffee, bandages, citrus and floral notes dominate.  There’s a touch of smoke, but I wouldn’t refer to the whisky as “smoky.”  I get the peatiness first and foremost.  The smoke is just a minor role in a large cast of characters.  In the background, some tropical fruit can be found as well.  Some maltiness pops up heading into the long finish.  Soon after that peaty “bandaid” taste pops up.

It’s nice to encounter a peated whisky that retains a lightness.  Don’t get me wrong, I love whiskies like Laphroaig and Ardbeg, but they are heavy and smoky.  Port Charlotte is different.  It manages to keep the light and floral qualities of it’s non-peated Bruichladdich Classic Laddie.  Very well done.

8/10
(Note: Review samples were provided by Bruichladdich.)

 

A Taste of Bowmore Whiskies
Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Nestled on the eastern coast of Loch Indaal on Islay, Bowmore sits proudly as one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland.  It was founded in 1779, making it almost as old as the U.S.  The distillery is currently owned by Beam Suntory.  Each batch is overseen by Master Blender Rachel Barrie.

Bowmore produces a peaty whiskey, but it’s not as full and heavy as Laphroaig or Ardbeg whiskies.  The distillery still manages a small amount of traditional floor maltings, but the majority of malted barley comes from the mainland.

Traditional floor maltings at Bowmore.

Picture supplied by SNS Group/Peter Devlin

Their standard range includes Bowmore Small Batch along with 12-year, 15-year, 18-year and 25-year-old expressions.  Let’s take a look at their expressions.

Bowmore Small Batch

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Bottled at 40% and available for a suggested price of $39.99, Bowmore Small Batch is the only non-age stated (NAS) whisky in their core lineup.  It’s composed of whiskies aged in first and second fill ex-bourbon casks.  The nose is a tad on the younger side, and gives soft vanilla and fruit notes under a blanket of easy going peat.  The peat comes across like a bandage.  Taste-wise, I get a saccharine sweetness carrying spice, vanilla, and peat.  A crisp citrus note shows up in the mid-palate and follows through into the medium length finish.

After a couple of tastings, I can’t get into this expression.  It tastes okay, but isn’t spectacular or memorable.

My problem isn’t the lack of age statement on the label – that never really bothers me.  After all, the Scotch industry is headed that way regardless, so it’s best to get on board now.

In the case of this expression of Bowmore, I think it’s a combination of NAS and low proof.  A 46% abv version of this might give this whisky a much needed shot in the arm.

6.5/10

Bowmore 12-Year-Old

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery.

The nose on this 12-year-old expression of Bowmore is a bit punchier than it’s younger NAS sibling.  The peat is showcased more here, providing a slightly ashy smoke and iodine combination.  There’s a nice honey note providing the sweetness, along with lemon zest.  I best describe the entry as a “sweet bandage”.  That may be the strangest tasting note I’ve ever written. There’s clover honey and smoky ash accompanied by vanilla.  Mid-palate, lemon curd provides a tartness and creaminess to the tasting experience.  The sweet/ashy/citrus finish hangs around for a few minutes.  This is one of the few times the official distillery tasting notes are on par with my own tasting notes.

Bowmore 12-year-old is a much more refined and “complete” expression when compared to the Small Batch whisky.  Sure it’s peaty, but this whisky retains a light and crisp quality I don’t normally associate with Islay whiskies.  While it’s a nice dram, Bowmore 12 year isn’t one to dissect for an hour.  Pour a glass, sip, and enjoy.  A bottle should cost around $50.

7.5/10

Bowmore 15-Year-Old “The Darkest”

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery

Photo courtesy of Bowmore Distillery

This darker colored 15-year-old expression from Bowmore is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon casks and ex-sherry casks, giving it the nickname of “The Darkest.”  Also of note is the slight raise in proof – 43% abv.

Those sherry casks provide a nice fruitiness and richness on the nose.   Dried fruits, vanilla, citrus and peat are the prominent aromas.  Toffee provides the rich sweet note.  On the palate, a quick hit of spice opens into a blast of orange zest and tropical fruit.  The peat note is not as prevalent as it is in the younger Bowmore expressions.  Again, the toffee note from the nose adds some sweet creaminess.  An ashy smoke note turns up at the back palate going into the long finish.

Bowmore 15-year is my favorite of the bunch.  I have a soft spot for sherried Islay whiskies.  The sherry casks provide another layer of complexity that I think this whisky benefits from.  It’s not as light in style as the Small Batch or 12-year-old, but that’s okay.  This expression carries a $65 price tag, making it $15 more expensive than the 12-year-old.   Totally worth it, as far as I’m concerned.  Recommended!

8/10

(Note: Review samples were provided by Bowmore.)

My Adventures at Tales of the Cocktail 2015

Every big name in the spirits and cocktail industry comes down to the city I call home (okay, so I live 15 minutes away) to partake in a week-long event known as Tales of the Cocktail, a spirits & cocktail convention held yearly at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans.  There are tastings, seminars, private events, networking and a whole lot more.   Although all spirits are celebrated, Tales is a whiskey lover’s paradise.  A lot of whiskey brands, major players and craft distillers alike, are represented.  Besides tasting whiskey, the best part is meeting and talking to whiskey makers and/or brand ambassadors.  There were definitely some whiskey-geek moments during my time there.

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