Bruichladdich 30 Years Old 1986 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Volume: 700ml           ABV: 44.6%           Age: 30 Years Old        Country: Scotland

Built in 1881 when puffer-supplied coal was available as an alternative fuel to local peat, it is likely that Bruichladdich was specifically designed to produce the purest unpeated spirit possible. The great Alfred Barnard supports this view with a tantalising clue – the Laddie is the only distillery on Islay that he does not describe as drying its malt using peat in his fascinating exploration of the island’s distilleries in 1885. Sadly, none of that 19th century spirit survives, but the original Victorian machinery has allowed an unparalleled legacy of craft distilling to trickle down through the generations of men who make this sophisticated Islay dram. It was in 1994 that the Bruichladdich distillery closed for a significant period of time. No one knew if this modern distillery would reopen its doors and see spirits start to flow through the stills again. A period in the whisky industry that will not be forgotten for years to come.

Ultra-rare. This is our elegant, floral Bruichladdich with intense, full-term Sherry maturation. First filled into Oloroso butts in 1986, this spirit lay untouched in the Bruichladdich loch-side warehouses until 2012 [already 26years old], then Master Distiller Jim McEwan decided to supercharge this sublime single malt by filling it into a privileged parcel of Pedro Ximinez butts from winemaker Jan Pettersen at Bodega Fernando de Castilla. “This spirit is part of a parcel of whisky that has contributed to some of the most iconic Bruichladdich releases over the years, the pinnacle of which was the legendary ‘blacker still’. Thanks to the expertise of generations of distillers we have prepared a whisky here that has a pedigree second to none” – Adam Hannett. This was released in 2017 as one of only three bottling’s from Bruichladdich as part of the Rare Cask Series.

Our Tasting Notes

Nose: Raisins, figs, prunes, dates and a drizzle of dark chocolate.

Palate: Christmas cake, PX Sherry, fruity and fresh, orange peel, sea salt and nutty.

Finish: Extremely long, fruity, with salted caramel and more delicious sherry characteristics.