Bruichladdich 2010 Islay Barley Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 50%           Age: No Age Statement          Country: Scotland

Barley varieties Optic and Oxbridge were planted across the breadth of the island in 2009; gathering the harvests together was to result in this first ‘regional Islay release’ – the fifth in the Islay Barley series.

Bruichladdich distilled their spirit early in 2010 and it ran clean, rich and malty, before being filled into ex-Bourbon and French wine casks and matured in their warehouses by Loch Indaal.

Official Tasting Notes

Character: The characters of the people of Islay, just like the malting barley grown here for Bruichladdich, are shaped by this place we love and call home. As distillers, our identity is expressed with honesty and pride through this exceptional series of Islay-grown barley releases that mean so much to us. The great dedication and passion of those who raise the crop, despite the risks and hardships they encounter each year, is matched by the pride we take in distilling their barley. We feel it shares our Islay DNA.

Colour: Soft Winter sun shimmering on a golden sandy beach

Nose: The floral nature of Bruichladdich spirit is immediately to the fore, its purity and openness at once refreshing and stimulating. A sea breeze filled with a delicate floral bouquet drifts through before the beauty of young, clean Bruichladdich emerges with crisp sweet apple, ripe gooseberry and peach. The malted barley brings brown sugar and toffee, while aromas from the toasted oak are calm and restrained as a backdrop, allowing the malt and spirit to shine. Butterscotch, spice, and creamy vanilla custard give more clues to the tremendous quality of the casks we filled with this precious spirit.

Taste: The mouthfeel, the viscosity, is a delight. Trickle distillation is a slow and simple technique but fundamental to producing such quality. The texture is muscular and rich. The natural oils coaxed gently from the grain temper the spice to allow its character, its young, clean, fresh charm to flourish. Appreciate the expertise of the maltster, the cooper’s craft and the experience and patience of the distillers. Consider the effort and expertise involved and the provenance and heritage of this exceptional spirit on the palate and you will be rewarded with a sensory experience rarely encountered.

Finish: This expression from our distillery, our land, our terroir, will leave you in no doubt as to its island of origin. The finish is ozone fresh, with zesty lemon and that note of windswept salt that can only have come from maturation by our Atlantic shoreline.

Mood: Confident in its identity, its history and heritage, this is another self-assured and distinctive dram in the Islay barley series as we establish the identity of our island-grown grain and explore its potential.