“This freedom to challenge and to pioneer is central to the heart and soul of Bruichladdich
Above all we believe in authenticity. That a whisky should speak of the land and of the people who crafted it. Ultimate provenance, ultimate traceability. A whisky that could not be made anywhere else or by anyone else – diversity, honesty. A spirit born from a philosophy. A spirit with a story to tell.”

When you have a philosophy like this, it tells us the whisky we are about to drink should be special.  Bruichladdich is not afraid to give us something different, the distillery prides itself on innovation, boldness and a willingness to lead.. Today I have the pleasure of reviewing one of the bottles from the cuvée series.. This has been matured in American oak before finishing in Limousin oak that had held both Sauternes and Barsac wines. This is a 21 yo whisky and has been bottled at 46%abv.

Nose.. Luscious fruity notes delicatley rise on the back of a sweetness that is just Devine. The aroma of baked pear drizzled in fresh heather honey and green apples freshly peeled massage your senses, while a subtle liquorice scent mingles with candied orange and dark chocolate.  Lurking in the background are hints of cherry blossom and subtle oaky notes.

Palate.. More of a sweet start than the nose, fresh honey, toffee, caramel and some natural vanilla notes with a malty undertone come into play.  There is a wonderfully  fruity note that entices some spice and nutty tones out. Again a hint of chocolate and aniseed.

Finish.. incredibley sweet and long.

Thoughts.. This is a very well balanced and complex whisky. There is layer upon layer of rich sweet aromas and flavours that just keep coming and coming.  One sip and you can taste it for hours, now I know the sweetness might not be to everyone’s taste but it really does enhance the overall quality of this malt. This is an Islay malt that does not sit on the fence, no peat is needed to show of the quality in this bottle..