BenRiach Smoky Quarter Cask

“To Peat Or Not To Peat That’s the Question”

Whisky Review # 1052

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: BenRiach Smoky Quarter Cask 

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46% 
Maturation: Ex-Bourbons Casks followed by Quarter Casks 

Chill Filtration: Yes 

Price Average: US$ 55-65 (December 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good

Buying Advice: 👍 Good place to get to know Smoky Malt. A bit too Thin for me!

Color:

Golden (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Young and Light. The Alcohol is noticeable so don't Nose in the middle of your glass. There's Campfire Smoke and Dusty Peat but it's not as pungent as in Young Islay. It's a good place to start your Smoky Whisky trip. The Nose is not unpleasant but it is a little on the Thin side.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Grass & Straw, Campfire Smoke, Dusty Peat, Ashes, Banana Bread, Dried Apricots, Toasted Nuts, Charred Oak, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Vanilla, slightly Tart Apples & Pears, Tar, Soot, Dusty Track, Wet Paper or Cardboard, Plastic, Smoked Meat, Leather and a hint of Slivovitz.      

Palate:

A youthful mix of Campfire Smoke, Tart Fruit and Spices. It will certainly warm you after a walk in the cold. The Alcohol remains noticeable. Quite Dry.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Campfire Smoke, Dusty Peat, Ashes, Banana, Tart Apples and Pears, Lemon, Charred Oak, Toasted Nuts, Pepper, Ginger, Licorice and Salt. 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Wax, Burnt Toast, Soot, Tar, Dried Apricot, Plastic, Petrol, Leather, Black Tea, Dried Herbs, Slivovitz, Cinnamon, Menthol, Bitter Espresso & Dark Chocolate. 

Finish:

On the Short side as a whole. The Chili Pepper stays a little longer. The BenRiach can't hide its Youth anymore and the Finish is slightly Rough and Edgy. It's a mix of Sweet, Bitter, Sour and Salty notes. Increasingly Dry towards the end. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Salted Caramel, Campfire Smoke, Earthy Peat, Toasted Nuts, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Charred Oak, Dusty Track, Tart Apples and Pears, Lemon, Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Menthol, Licorice, Leather, Plastic, Strong Espresso, Burnt Toast and a distant hint of Smoked Salmon. 

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and although it calms down the Alcohol it also transforms this BenRiach in a sort of peated Barley Juice. I prefer it neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 8 - Finish: 7   

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is  8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but a little too Thin for me.

 

Conclusion:

The BenRiach distillery was founded in 1897 by John Duff & Co and is located in Longmorn, Elgin (Morayshire). It changed hands a couple of times in its history but in April 2016 it was bought by Brown Forman. BenRiach produced more or less 1,5 million litres in 2024. The core range includes a/o the original 10, the Smoky 10, the 12, the Smoky 12, the 16,21,25,30 and 40 Years. I have not yet been able to visit this Distillery. We passed by in 2014 but it was closed for maintenance at the time. BenRiach Spirit is also used in Blends like Chivas Regal, 100 Pipers and Queen Anne.

The Smoky Quarter Cask was launched in 2021 and was initially released for the Travel Retail market only. It is made with both peated and unpeated Spirit. As such it's certainly not a Peat monster and a good way to start your peated Whisky adventure. I can therefore clearly see the attraction this Single Malt presents, even more so as it is pleasantly priced. The more experienced Peat fan will miss the punch of Young Islay Malt and in general will find this BenRiach on the Thin side. I also detected a few light off-notes. But if you're looking for an affordable day-to-day lightly peated dram, this BenRiach might just be what you're looking for.

Merry Christmas to all of you and your families!

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                December 25, 2024

Macaloney's The Peat Project (Portuguese Red Wine Casks)

“Born in the USPeat”

Whisky Review # 1051

Country: Canada 🇨🇦

Region: Vancouver Island

Brand: Macaloney's The Peat Project -Single Cask Series - Double Distilled

Type: Canadian Island Peated Single Malt Whisky - 54PPM
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: Portuguese Red Wine STR* Casks

*STR means:  Scraped (Shaved), Toasted and Re-Charred

Sample provided by: Graeme from Canada. Many Thanks!
Chill Filtration: No
Price Range: US$ 70-90 (December 2024)

Price/Quality Ratio: 😑 Borderline acceptable at around US$ 70

Buying Advice: 😐 It's nice to try a sample but I miss the power of young Islay

Colour:

Deep Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Light and Young but not Sharp. Almost Creamy. The Alcohol is well-integrated. The Peat is certainly noticeable and although it's not overdone it still dominates most of the other Aromas. The Red Wine casks bring some Fruity notes. It's not a very complicated Nose but it's pleasant and not too Sweet. Only in the background I detect some Burnt notes as well as a little Plastic. Nothing serious though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, (Dark) Red Berries and Currants, Dried Fruit like Dates, Lemon and Raisins, Orange, Earthy Peat, Grass, Burnt Herbs and Heather, Green Coffee Beans, Butter, Leather, Floral Perfume, Cinnamon and Ginger.  

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Vanilla, Syrup, Red Wine, Honey, Ashes, Soot, Burnt Toast, Cow Dung mixed with Straw, Charred Oak and Shavings, Wet Rocks, Plastic, Coconut Shavings, Cooked Vegetables, Tobacco Leaves, Nutmeg, Steak Tartare and Slivovitz.   

Dr. Graeme Macaloney

Palate:

Young, Thin and a little Rough but surprisingly Creamy at the same time. Sweet but not in a cloying way. A few Burnt, Sour and light Bitter notes provide balance. The Peat & Smoke are present of course but are less dominant than on the Nose.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, slightly Sour Red Wine, Red Berries and Currants, Earthy Peat, Dirty Smoke, Ashes, Soot, Coconut Shavings, Orange, Melon, Figs & Dates, Charred Oak, Burnt Heather & Grass, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Ginger. 

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Yeast, Wet Rocks, Grilled Meat and Pineapple, Tobacco Leaves, Leather, Licorice, Cloves, Strawberry-flavored Candy and Dark Chocolate.   

Finish: 

Thin and on the Short Side although the Dirty Smoke, Ashes and Soot stay with you for a while. The Spirit can't hide its Youth anymore at this point. The Alcohol is a little Rough now as well. Quite Dry towards the end. It's also more Sweet at this point while Peat and Smoke are less dominant when compared to the Nose. I find Sweet Barley, Salted Caramel, Honey, Nutshells, Red Wine, Red Berries and Currants, Orange, slightly Dirty Smoke and Soot, Ashes, Burnt Heather and Herbs, slightly Burnt Toast, Charred Oak, Floral Perfume, Coconut Shavings, Cinnamon, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves and Ginger. A hint of Meat on the BBQ.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water does not improve this Single Malt.😐

Rating: 7 (*******)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7 - Finish: 6 

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience:

Good but a little Young, Edgy and Rough in places.

Conclusion:

This Island Distillery is equipped with a one ton semilauter Mash Tun, 7 stainless steel wash-backs, a 5500 litre wash still and a 3600 litre spirit still. The first Single Malt was released in December 2020. Part of the Barley is malted on site and the complex also includes a craft beer brewery called TWA Dogs.

The Potstill whiskies are traditional Irish-Style triple distilled whiskies. Dr. Macaloney, the founder, is a Scot of Irish Heritage who attended the Midleton Irish Whiskey Academy and learned traditional Irish methods a.o. with ex Master Distiller Brian Nation. Back in Canada he then learned to optimize the traditional whisky process following Dr. Jim Swan's methods. The resulting New Make Spirit won several global awards. 

The Peated Series was launched in 2023. The Canadian Barley is smoked using the Washington peat and follows the process of distilleries like Laphroaig, Bowmore & Kilchoman. Canadian and Islay Peat will be used in the future.

Washington Peat is not the same as Islay peat but nevertheless Macaloney's did a good job on the peaty part of this Single Malt. As such the Peat Project can be safely called a success. My issue with the Macaloney's so far is the lack of Wood contact. Call me old-fashioned but all the new methods that speed up maturation processes do not (yet) make up for sufficient time of good Fruity Spirit in a well-made quality cask. In this specific case you would not notice this on the Nose that, while a bit heavy on the Peat, is still quite pleasant. But Palate and Finish are Thin despite the adequate ABV and do not provide a fully satisfying mouthfeel. I truly hope Macaloney's will be able to fix this issue in future releases. At least for me as the distillery wins prizes all over the place anyway! 

Glenlossie 2009 (Carn Mor)

“Sweet and Innocent”

Whisky Review # 1050

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenlossie 2009

Bottled in 2021 by: Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers

Series: Càrn Mòr Strictly Limited - 1603 Bottles 

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 12 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 47.5% 
Maturation: Red Wine Casks (Barriques)

Chill Filtration: No 

Price Average: US$ 80 (December 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Okay

Buying Advice: 👍 A very easy-going Speysider, ideal for beginning fans

Color:

Tawny with shades of Orange and Brown (Natural Colour)

Nose:

Soft and Pleasant. Mostly Sweet but with some Sour, Dusty and "Wet" notes as well. The Alcohol is there but certainly not in an aggressive way. It's a Nose that serves perfectly as a start to your whisky adventure!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Barley, Butter Biscuits, Vanilla, Toffee, Grass, slightly Sour Red Wine and Red Grapes, Dark (Red) Berries and Cherries, Tangerine, Dusty Oak, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint. 

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Honey, Sugared Almonds, Dried Fruit such as Raisins, Apples and Figs, Assorted Citrus Fruit, Marzipan, Fresh Herbs, Wet Leaves and Paper, Coconut, Cappuccino and a distant hint of Licorice.       

Palate:

An easy-going and pleasant mix of mostly Sweet and Sour notes. The Red Wine casks come to the front but not in an overpowering way. Other than that I find most of the notes I already found on the Nose. It's a well-made Single Malt with only a slight Metallic off-note. 

Main Flavours:

Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Toffee, Nutella, Grass, slightly Sour Red Wine/Grapes, (Dark) Red Berries and Cherries, Dusty Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger and Mint.  

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Caramel, Demerara Sugar, Fresh Herbs, Sugared Almonds, Honey, Orange-flavored Chocolate, Wet Rocks and Paper, Lemon, Grapefruit, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Aniseed, Licorice and Tobacco Leaves.  

  

Finish:

Middle-Long. A mix of Sweet, Sour and light Bitter notes. The Alcohol is more in the picture at this point. The Red Wine Cask influence is more clear now as well. I notice a light Metal off-note. I find Sweet Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, Honey Nut Cereals, Red Berries and Cherries, Sugared Almonds, slightly Sour Red Wine/Red Grapes, Wet Rocks and Paper, Fruitcake, Dusty Oak, Strawberry-flavored Candies, Fresh Herbs, Orange-flavored Chocolate, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Mint, Grass and a light hint of Tobacco leaves.    

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water & get a nice Peach/Nectarine Aroma on the Nose. It becomes  too Light on the Palate though and the Finish practically disappears. I prefer it neat despite the Peach!

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7  

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is  8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good

 

Conclusion:

The Glenlossie distillery was founded in 1876 by John Duff and is located in Birnie-Elgin (Morayshire). In 1919 DCL bought the distillery and subsequent mergers & take-overs brought it under the almighty wings of the Diageo Group. The Spirit is recognized as an important Blending Whisky and is mainly used in the Haig and Dimple Blends. In 1990, a 10 Year Old Flora & Fauna was launched and until today is the only official distillery bottling. The annual production amounts to around 2 million litres.

Pleasant and good quality Red Wine cask matured or finished Single Malts are not that easy to find. I'm glad to report that this Glenlossie is an exception to the rule. It's well-made and the Red Wine does not overpower the Whisky flavors. I only found a light Metallic off-note on the Palate and in the Finish but it's nothing serious. If you're starting your Whisky journey this is a perfect place to do so. Pleasant, mostly Sweet, slightly Sour and quite Fruity. What's not to like there! The P/Q ratio is okay as well. 

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                December 12, 2024

Loch Lomond 18

“I Like Your Style”

Whisky Review # 1049

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Western Highlands

Brand: Loch Lomond - Fruit & Spice series

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Age: 18 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 46%
Maturation: American Oak Casks. Likely a mix of Bourbon casks & Sherried Wood

Chill Filtration: No

Price Range: US$ 70-85 (December 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 Good

Buying Advice: 👍 Not perfect but interesting enough at this price level

Color:

Dark Amber with shades of Orange and Brown (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

There's Alcohol in the Air so please avoid the middle of your glass. There's also a bit of Sulphur around. It's a mix of Sweet and Sour notes and the general feeling is a little Musty, Dirty and Rough. Sort of a Diet Springbank or Glen Scotia. Not bad but a bit on the Light side. It smells a bit Old-Fashioned and that's a plus in my book!

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Buttered Toast, Demerara Sugar, Heather-Honey, Vanilla, Dough, Grass, Dark Berry Fruit Compote, Red Apple, Banana Bread, Dried Herbs, Tobacco, Dusty Oak, Orange Liqueur, Grapefruit, Pepper, Nutmeg and Mint.

      

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Caramel, Resin, Farmyard, Pencil Shavings, Musty Cellar, Wet Rocks, Wet Paper or Cardboard, Pear, Nectarine, Canned Pineapple in Syrup, Rubber, Sulphur, Leather, Slivovitz, Smoked Meat, Cinnamon and Artificial Sweetener.

Palate:

It's rare you have a Single Malt in the glass that is Musty, Edgy, Oily & Rough but Light at the same time. I feel that the cask management is to blame for that. The 18 Years presents a mix of Bitter, Sweet, Sour, Musty and Salty notes. Old Style on the one hand and a little Artificial on the other. A bit of an Enigma. The Alcohol is certainly noticeable.

Main Flavours:

Toasted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Dough, Farmyard, Straw, Apple, Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Dried Herbs, Cooked Red Fruits and Vegetables, Chocolate, Tobacco, Cigar Box, Charred Oak, Strong Black Tea or Espresso, Pepper, Nutmeg, Ginger and Mint.

   

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Nutshells, Dirty Earth, Pear, Nectarine, Musty Cellar, Leather, Rubber, Metal Coins, Canned Pineapple, Hospital & Artificial Sweetener.

    

Finish:

Middle-Long. Sweet and Sour at first but with increasing Bitterness towards the Dry end. It's certainly not bad but again on the Light side. The casks used can't totally hide the Distillery character. I would have liked to see a little more Body. The Alcohol is a bit Rough as well. I find Toasted Barley, Vanilla, Caramel, Apple, Nectarine, Grapefruit, Nutshells, Dried Herbs, Herbal Liqueur, Strong Black Tea or Espresso, Charred Oak, Ashes, Pencil Shavings, Farmyard, Hospital, Copper Coins, Tobacco, Leather, Licorice, Artificial Sweetener, Pepper, Cinnamon, Salt, Ginger, Nutmeg, Mint and Rubber.

Drinking Advice:

Added Water helps to calm down the Alcohol but does not improve the Aroma & Flavour structure. I prefer it neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 8 - Taste: 7.5 - Finish: 7

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is  8 or higher you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but slightly on the Thin side.

Conclusion:

The Loch Lomond distillery was built in 1965. It closed between 1984 and 1987. It is currently owned by Hillhouse Capital Management, Scotland. In various types of stills the distillery produces both Grain and Malt whisky. The aim for 2025 is to produce around 5 million litres. Remember the stories and films of Tintin? Check it out, Captain Haddock's favourite whisky was the Loch Lomond! The 18 Years I am reviewing today was launched in 2016. It's part of the core range next to the Loch Lomond Classic Original 10 Years, the 12 Years, the Inchmurrin 12 Years and the Inchmoan 12 Years.

It's not easy to give a final verdict on this Loch Lomond. On the one hand I really like the "Old-Fashioned" slightly Dirty Lowland-Style of this 18 Years. But at the same I feel that the selected casks did not do full justice to the Light/Fruity style of the Loch Lomond spirit. The final product reminds me of a diet Glen Scotia or Springbank. Not bad but with lots of potential for improvement. Despite the flaws however this Loch Lomond still presents a very good P/Q ratio.

Cheers 🥃

Jan van den Ende                                                                   December 4, 2024

Bruichladdich Octomore 12.1

“Zwarte Peat is Back”

Whisky Review # 1048

Country: Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Region: Islay

Brand: Bruichladdich Octomore 12.1 (130.8 PPM) - Distilled: Likely 2015

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Bottled: 2021

Age: Around 5 Years

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 59.9% (Cask Strength)
Maturation: 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon casks
Chill Filtration: No

Average Price: Around US$ 200 (November 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎 Too expensive for such a young and relatively simple Malt

Buying Advice: 😐 Only for the addicted Peatheads among us!

Colour:

Pale Straw/White Wine (Natural Colour)

Nose:

It takes a while for this 12.1 to open up a little so be sure to give it enough time in the glass. The Alcohol is quite strong so better avoid nosing in the middle of the glass. Even after a while the Peat and Smoke make it difficult to identify the other Aromas so you need to be patient with this Bruichladdich. It took me more than an hour to identify the Aromas. The Nose is Sweet but not overly so. It does feel a bit Young and Rough though.

Main Aromas:

Sweet Toasted Barley, Slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Wax and Yeast, Heavy Smoke, Coastal Peat, Soot Tar, Iodine, Farmyard, Fish and Pork on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon and Herbs, Burnt Straw, Wet Rocks and Sand, Green Apple, Banana, Dairy, Bounty Bar, Wet Oak, Iron, Pepper and Aniseed.   

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Honey, Snickers Candy Bar, Ashes, Hospital, Diesel, Rubber, Leather, Espresso, Dark Chocolate 80%, Musty Cellar, Pear, Pencil Shavings, Licorice, Cloves and a hint of Orange Liqueur.

Palate:

Young, slightly Rough and Bitter-Sweet. The Alcohol is very present at this point. The Peat, Smoke and Burnt notes are in full control. It's a bit of a One Trick Pony and you really need to concentrate to dig out the other Flavours.

Main Flavours:

Sweet Toasted Malt, Burnt Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Heavy Smoke and Peat, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Iodine, Farmyard, Wet Straw and Grass, Smoked Fish and Pork on the BBQ sprinkled with Herbs & Lemon, Green Apple, Orange-Flavoured Dark Chocolate, Dusty Oak, Grapefruit, Pepper, Ginger and Aniseed.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee/Butterscotch, Hospital, Pear, Banana, Dairy, Black Espresso or Tea, Nuts and Nutshells, Peanut Butter, Wet Iron, Plastic, Rubber and Resin.

Finish:

Quite Long but mainly on Peat/Smoke and Burnt notes. Sweet at First but with increasing Bitter notes towards the Dry end. Quite Sharp and Fiery but that's to be expected at almost 60%. I find Sweet Toasted Malt, Salted Caramel, Toffee and Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Burnt Toast, Heavy Smoke, Coastal Peat, Yeast, Wet Mud, Ashes, Soot, Tar, Fish & Pork on the BBQ sprinkled with Lemon & Herbs, Farmyard, Wet Rocks and Sand, Dairy, Green Apple, Pear, Grapefruit, Bounty Bar, Wet Oak, Wet Iron, Plastic, Espresso, Pepper, Ginger, Aniseed and this intriguing note that reminds me of eating Crepes Suzette in a Hospital.

Drinking Advice:

I added a little Water and strangely enough that practically kills the Nose. Almost like Peated Water used in the distilling process. It softens up the Palate and Finish of course but does not improve both. At almost 60% you would expect that added Water would improve the 12.1 but that's not the case. I prefer it neat.

Rating: 7.5 (*******1/2)

Nose: 7.5 - Taste: 7.5  - Finish: 7.5

*** Important Note with respect to Rating.

If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.

Drinking Experience Neat: Good but quite one-dimensional

Conclusion:

Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey. During its history it was mothballed various times, the last time in 1998. In 2012 the Islay distillery was bought by Remy Cointreau (France). Since, Bruichladdich is showing a healthy growth again. The distillery produces 3 types of Single Malt, i.e. the unpeated Bruichladdich & the heavily peated Port Charlotte & Octomore. The basic core range includes the Classic Laddie and a 10-year old Port Charlotte. The annual production amounts to around 1.1 million litres. About 10% of that is Octomore. Octomore means " The Big Eighth". This is a medieval division of common ground.

The Octomore 12.1 was made with Scottish Barley. It's not really a bad Octomore but it is one of the less exciting ones I've tasted. It is totally dominated by Peat & Smoke and it's really hard to detect other Aromas and Flavours below this Cloud of Smoke. If you like that by all means go for it although the price tag is hefty. But if you're looking for a smoky but balanced Octomore, the 12.1 is not for you.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                November 27, 2024

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2014