5 relatively young Bruichladdichs

I have tried many Bruichladdich's, but again, there are so many versions, makes it kinda hard to get a grip of what Bruichladdich really should taste like. Port Charlotte, Octomore, Different wine finishes and so on. Time to try 4 different OB expressions alongside a youngster from Douglas Laing.


Bruichladdich 12yo 46% OB

One of the many age expressions from the Bruichladdich Distillery, smells very peaty for a Bruichladdich. Very coastal on the nose, salty, peaty, smoky, lime peel, orange peel and ashes. But it's sort of austere as well and a bit burnt, I think I can detect some Fino matured whisky in this one. I could be wrong however, let's taste. The taste is nicely burnt, marzipan, white chocolate, toffee, ammonium(not that I ever tasted it) and dark chocolate. The aftertaste is full of licorice and dry red wine, bitter juice and tonic water. Lets try diluted. I'd definitively have this without water. When diluted it gets more peppery and one-dimensional, and the aftertaste vanishes.

A good one, much bigger than what I expected: 6


Bruichladdich 15yo 46% OB

3 years up from the 12yo, which means that most of this whisky probably aren't any older than the 12yo. As the Bruichladdich distillery was closed from 1995-2001 except from some months in 1998, in which I believe the age difference in the 12yo and 15yo batches must've been made. A much gentler nose on this one, less peaty more salty, iodine, sea water and fish stock. The taste is again softer than the 12yo, peaty but not smoky, more burnt and sweet fruits, raisins, honey melon and unripe apples, kind of sour. All in all it doesn't compare to the twelve years old as it lacks the firm and powerful Islay-style.

Beaten by his younger brother: 4.5


Bruichladdich 10yo 1998-2008 46% OB Oloroso Sherry

From an oloroso cask, this is from one of the batches that were produced in the period when the distillery were closed between 1995-2001, It i sort of pale for a whisky 100% matured in ex oloroso casks, could there be some second fills or even third fill involved? Sort of the lighter side of yellow tea. Smells thick and burnt, very sulphury, needs time to open up. In 1bout 7-8 minutes it gets sweeter, dried figs, plum juice and blackberry jam. The taste is not sulphury, more in the lines of cinnamon, dark chocolate and bitter agricultures. Some water brings it all down a notch, not recommended.

I'd say its a very good combination of sherry/peat, not that many around: 6.5


Bruichladdich NAS 50% OB Infinity 3.10

Refill sherry and Tempranillo casks. Will it be in the same lines of the 1998 oloroso casked? The color is pretty similar at least. Smells much peatier than the oloroso, according to internet sources this one should contain about 20ppm. I believe the standard bottlings usually contain about 5ppm. This one should be a cracker. The taste is amazing, the peatiness in this one reminds me a bit of Laphroaig actually. Sweet honey suryp, fino sherry style, salty butter and iodine. The aftertaste is so rustic, much better that the lighter standard Ob's.

Explosive stuff, peaty and sherried: 7.5


Bruichladdich 14yo 50% OMC Doulas Laing

First and only IB in this vertical. I have neither seen or heard about this one online. I know an eleven year old Macallan created a bit of fuzz a while back, but other than that I find the better OMC-bottlings to be way older than this one. From a bourbon cask, the palest one in the bunch. Smells light, sliky-smooth, cream cheese and leeks, extremely light and delicate. The taste is rather boring, peppery and butter. This one needs water. Water makes it spicier, chorizo and burnt rubber. Weird for a bourbon cask. There's also some unripe bananas.

A totally middle of the road malt, the total mean: 5