Quite smooth, fruity and vanilla led, perhaps the cask influence at 10 years is just starting to make its presence felt against that thick and unctuous mealy cereal nature from the Bere. 85/100
Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2011
Octomore 10.2
Sweeter and smokier than 10.1 and a nice addition of both tropical and stone fruits, I don’t think I’d have picked out the Sauternes influence here but in my defence Octomore’s are pretty robust spirit to begin with! 88/100
Port Charlotte PAC: 01 2011
Bold, earthy and chewy peat, lots of sweet malt and plenty of fruit from the casks. With an abundance of French oak tannins and wine influence this reminded me a lot of Ardbeg’s Corryvreckan expression, however the peat here seems drier and earthier and less oily and phenolic than Ardbeg. 88/100
Bruichladdich Origins
A rather complex and full expression encompassing all of Bruichladdich from rich cereal barley, through a veritable cocktail of fruit with a small wine-tour intermission including warehouses full of oak casks and ending with that characteristic sea spray. A great summary of the last 20 years at Bruichladdich!
Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2021 Masterclass 6
Having been filled into the cask at 84%+ ABV this has had much more of a cask/cask char extract effect rather than mellowing/maturation. That said this whisky is still remarkably smooth at 69.3% ABV!
Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2021 Masterclass 5
Noticeably younger and much more buttery, more woody/caramel notes come through on the nose and the cereal and slightly grassy/stalky/herbal quality is left until the finish here.
Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2021 Masterclass 4
Another interesting spin on the Bruichladdich core flavour, perhaps not so cereal-forward here and evolves into some much greener fruit flavours too.
Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2021 Masterclass 3
The best so far for me, generous fruits but really well textured and rounded, there is a real depth in this that comes from the Bere Barley which just adds that extra something to the palate here.
Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2021 Masterclass 2
Thanks to the Islay-grown barley this cask/distillate has much more up-front minerality and also much more barley ‘husk’ and nutty cereal flavour.
Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2021 Masterclass 1
Super soft and approachable, this single cask organic barley from Bruichladdich is packed full of fruits bordering on tropicality, gentle malted barley and that characteristic Atlantic minerality.
The Whiskyphiles 