10/06/2020 Bruichladdich tasting

SLT, Red71, Bishlouk, JS and I are having another video tasting, woo. We visit SLT's favourite distillery, tonight. All blind-ish: we know the distillery, the age and the ABV. Not difficult to cheat, and Red71 does so almost systematically. He does not spoil it for the others, though, which is nice.

Woo.

Dram #1
Nose: horse's hair, horse blanket, hay, suede. "Apricot," says Bishlouk, who has clearly had too many gin & tonics, already. Cardboard and a thin veil of smoke are there too, a pinch of dry earth and unripe gooseberries. I find horse's stable and dry farmyard dominate, though, punctuated by a few mint leaves. Much later on, dried raspberry slices. Mouth: powerful and equally dry, with some similar notes of horse's hair. There is an added acidity, perhaps of grapes or melon skins. Desert dirt and salt, sandy dust. Finish: dry, earthy and a tad smoky, it has grape skins, faded leather and melon peel, as well as unripe elderberry. A saline touch, too. Once we are told what this one is, I find all sorts of wine-y notes, none of which is really obvious in the first instance. Surprising, especially the farm-y nose. Bruichladdich 5yo b.2011 (50%, OB Exclusive Vatting by Jim McEwan for the 5th Anniversary of The Nectar, Château d'Yquem Casks Finish, 500b) 7/10

Dram #2
Nose: rather mineral, this one, it has flint and limestone, then honeydew melon storms the scene, alongside scented pen erasers. Lilac, faded chamomile, sweet potatoes (yup, really). After the first sip, the nose becomes well fruity, with plums and nectarines soaked in liqueur. Mouth: it feels a little watery, with apple peel, flowers (lilac again) and sweet potato, before the scented erasers re-appear, waxy, rubbery and flowery, with a softly bitter touch of tannin. Finish: the boys find this peppery and alcoholic. I disagree. For me, lilac again, pencil erasers, mashed sweet potatoes, plum skins, mashed nectarines and some peach to soften a rubbery note. I like. Bruichladdich 14yo 1993/2007 (46%, OB The Italian Collection, Sassicaia French Oak Casks, 3000b) 7/10

Dram #3
Nose: watermelon, sangria, peach skins, rum, oozing through staves, and a lick of pine wood. Next come vanilla extract, empty coconut shells and mead. All of a sudden, the nose turns tropical, with papaya and canary melon. Mouth: this is liquid honey! Manuka honey, thick and syrupy. The alcohol becomes obvious, after a few seconds, with strong pepper and jalapeño. It is borderline anaesthetising, yet honey remains. Lichen on staves shows up, and fruit comes back, pepper-sprinkled papaya. Finish: long, fruity and sweet, it has similar notes of sugar-and-lichen-covered staves, on top of moss and an almost metallic side. Further sipping brings the fruit back (papaya and grapefruit, this time). Not the most well-balanced, perhaps, but I love it. Bruichladdich 14yo 2003/2017 (56.8%, Malts of Scotland, Bourbon Barrel, C#MoS17015, 248b) 8/10

Dram #4
Nose: exuberantly fruity, this, with pears, white plums, satsumas, blueberries, but also violets, waxy mango skins and unripe-grapefruit peel. Soon after that, a spoonful of plasticine rocks up, Play-Doh style. Mouth: soft and silky, with the same plums, mango skins, satsuma, plus kumquat, now. Plasticine is still there, subtle enough to be pleasant, and totally unable to hide the fruit. Finish: explosive and fruity, it has perhaps a bitter note of fruit foliage. Lots of blueberries, plums, satsumas, kumquats, mangoes and nectarines. This kicks royal bouteille. Bruichladdich 25yo 1993/2018 (49.3%, Cadenhead Single Cask for the 25th Anniversary of Bresser & Timmer, Bourbon Hogshead, 240b) 9/10

Dram #5
Nose: sweet, salty, it has horse's hair, just like the first. Faded leather and dark prunes -- smoked prunes. Heady red wine is next, syrupy and char-tainted, tobacco and smoked elderberry. Mouth: soft, velvety, with a backbone of Virginia tobacco. Smashed smoked nectarines, smoked apricot and the bitterness of melting rubber complement it. That bitterness is subdued and totally acceptable, since it is balanced by the dark fruit. The smoke, on the other hand, there is no escaping from. Finish: Port Charlotte speaks, here, with sherry-soaked plums, sherry-stained earth, rubber -- this is pretty rubbery, in fact, tyre-like. Fresh red chilli, bits of cucumber peel and super-dark chocolate (>95% cocoa). It is warm, but balanced. Very nice. We are told it is a mix of three 1970s casks of Bruichladdich with some Port Charlotte, which would make this a 3yo whisky, since Port Charlotte was not produced until 2002 or so. I believe I tried batch three of this expression, at some point, and this one pisses all over it. Bruichladdich Infinity b.2005 (55.5%, OB, Sherry Casks, B#1, 05/0108) 7/10

We are reasonable, this time, and stop at five -- thank Cthulhu! Great night and surprisingly varied selection. Roll on the next one!