The Whiskyphiles

Bruichladdich

Bruichladdich Distillery
  • Founded: 1881
  • Status: Operational
  • Region: Islay, Scotland – Bruichladdich, Islay, Argyll PA49 7UN +44(0)1496 850221
  • Online: https://www.bruichladdich.com/
bruichladdich-scottish-barley-the-classic-laddie-whisky

History Bruichladdich was built in 1881 by the Harvey brothers—William (32), John (31) and Robert (23)—on the shore of Loch Indaal, on the Rinns of Islay, the westernmost part of the island. The Harveys were a dynastic whisky family that had owned two Glasgow distilleries since 1770. Using an inheritance, the three brothers combined their talents to build a third distillery—Bruichladdich—designed by John, engineered by Robert, and financed by William and other family members. At the time, the distillery was a state-of-the-art design unlike Islay’s older distilleries, which had developed from old farm buildings. It was built from stone from the sea shore and has a very efficient layout, built around a large, spacious courtyard. The uniquely tall and narrow-necked stills were chosen to produce a very pure and original spirit, the opposite of the styles produced by the older farm distilleries. Bruichladdich was run by William Harvey, after a quarrel with his brothers before the distillery was even completed, until a fire in 1934 and his death in 1936. Over the next forty years it subsequently changed owners several times as a result of corporate take-overs and rationalisation of the industry, narrowly avoiding closure until 1994, when it was shut down as being ‘surplus to requirements’.

The distillery was subsequently purchased by a group of private investors led by Mark Reynier of Murray McDavid on 19 December 2000. Jim McEwan, who had worked at Bowmore Distillery since the age of 15, was hired as master distiller and production director. Between January and May 2001 the whole distillery was dismantled and reassembled, with the original Victorian décor and equipment retained. Having escaped modernisation, most of the original Harvey machinery is still in use today. No computers are used in production with all processes controlled by a pool of skilled artisans who pass on information orally and largely measure progress using dipsticks and simple flotation devices. On 23 July 2012, it was announced that Rémy Cointreau reached an agreement with Bruichladdich to buy the distillery for a sum of £58m.

The Whiskyphiles tasting notes

Official Bottling
  • bruichladdich-ancien-regime-feis-ile-2011-whisky Bruichladdich 18.06.98 Ancien Regime (2016) – Bruichladdich 12 Year Old 1998 Ancien Regime (46%, OB, Feis Ile, Bourbon Casks, 2500 Bottles, 2011) Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2011 ABV: 46% Cost: £81.46 What they say: The first of two special releases to mark the acquisition and rebirth of Bruichladdich distillery, distilled in 1998 under […]
  • bruichladdich-32-year-old-1984-rare-cask-series-bourbon Bruichladdich 1984 / 32 (2018) – Bruichladdich 32 Years Old 1984 Rare Cask Series Bourbon: All In whisky review: Slightly reminiscent of Calvados with both fresh and baked apple flavours paired with old oak wood in a perfect combination. Slightly drying and spicy on the palate with ginger prominent but also a big dollop of vanilla cream and lots of mature tropical fruits. 92/100
  • Bruichladdich 1986 / 30 (2018) – Bruichladdich 1986 / 30 Sherry: The Magnificent Seven Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review: Delicious, really nutty and full of chocolate before moving into steamed fruit pudding soaked with rum or sherry. Very Christmas-like. From memory this is only the second Oloroso-matured and PX finished whisky we have knowingly sampled and both were really on the button for me flavour-wise. 93/100
  • #LaddieMP3 tasting Bruichladdich 1994 Micro-Provenance Cask 013 (2015) – Bruichladdich Micro-Provenance Cask 013 (50.6%, OB, Bourbon & Sauternes Finish, 253 Bottles, 2015) Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Official for #LaddieMP3 ABV: 50.6% Cost: £90 Score: 86/100 What they say: The Micro Provenance series is unique to Bruichladdich and is conceived as an exploration into cask evolution, each individually picked by […]
  • bruichladdich_mp3_229_250 Bruichladdich 2003 Micro-Provenance Cask 229 (2015) – Bruichladdich Micro-Provenance Cask 229 (62.2%, OB, Sherry Cask, 259 Bottles, 2015) Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Rémy Cointreau for #LaddieMP3 ABV: 62.2% Cost: £90 for 3x 20cl Score: 84/100 What they say: What I say: Sample from #LaddieMP3 Colour: Dark copper and ruby highlights (13/20), fine tears and trails Nose: Floral […]
  • mp-single-cask-scotch-whisky-2003-port Bruichladdich 2003 Micro-Provenance Cask 543 (2015) – Bruichladdich Micro-Provenance Cask 543 (60.1%, OB, Port HH, 250 Bottles, 2015) Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Rémy Cointreau for #LaddieMP3 ABV: 60.1% Cost: £90 for 3x 20cl Score: 87/100 What they say: Porto cask matured 12 Years Old Distilled in 2003 and bottled in 2015, this single malt whisky has spent […]
  • bruichladdich-bere-barley-2008-whisky Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 (2015) – Bruichladdich 2008 Bere Barley (50%, OB, 2014) Bruichladdich Distillery Remy Cointreau 50% ABV £54.57 Score: 86/100 What they say: bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 UHI Orkney Farms The 2007 crop for this, our third release of Bere Barley, was grown on Orkney and supplied by the Agronomy Institute at Orkney College UHI, working with local farmers […]
  • Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 Islay Grown (2021) – Another great example of the cereal-led and incredibly fruity Bere distillate. Even at 9 years old this is much fruitier than it should be at this age.
  • Bruichladdich Cuvée 382 La Berenice (2014) – Bruichladdich Cuvee 382 La Berenice MG41 [L’Age d’Or] (46%, OB, Sauternes/Barsac Cask, 2012) 46% ABV, £100 for 70cl Score: 89/100 What they say: This American-oak-aged Bruichladdich has been further matured in casks that previously contained the lush sweet white wines of two of the greatest chateaux of Barsac and Sauternes. Casks that have held wine […]
  • Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2021 Masterclass 1 (2021) – 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.
  • Bruichladdich Feis Ile 2021 Masterclass 2 (2021) – 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 3 (2021) – 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 4 (2021) – 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 5 (2021) – 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 6 (2021) – 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-islay-barley-2007-whisky Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2007 Rockside Farm (2015) – Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2007 Rockside Farm (50%, OB, 2015) Bruichladdich Distillery Remy Cointreau 50% ABV £42.49 Score: 84/100 What they say: bruichladdich Islay Barley 2007 Rockside Farm The wild west Atlantic facing coast gave birth to this third release in our uber-provenance Islay Barley series. Harvested in 2006 and distilled in 2007, the grain for […]
  • bruichladdich-valinch-7-andy-ritchie Bruichladdich Laddie Crew Valinch 07 Andy Ritchie (2016) – Bruichladdich 24 Years Old 1989 Laddie Crew Valinch 07 Andy Ritchie (51.4%, OB, Rioja Cask #R05/135-019, 500 Bottles, 2014) Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Hand-fill Distillery Only ABV: 51.4% Cost: £100 What they say: Launched not long after Feis Ile 2014, infact, I remember the crew wheeling the cask in […]
  • Bruichladdich-Organic-single-malt-scotch-whisky Bruichladdich Organic 2003 (2013) – Bruichladdich Organic Mid Coul, Coulmore, Mains of Tullibardine Farms (46%, OB, 2011) NAS, 46% ABV, RRP £35 for 70cl Score 73/100 What they say: Following on from our landmark Organic 2003 vintage, this release is a multi-vintage vatting in which Jim McEwan has brought together the finest organic barley from our farmers and partners, Sir […]
  • Bruichladdich Origins (2021) – 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-Rocks-single-malt-scotch-whisky Bruichladdich Rocks (2013) – Bruichladdich Rocks (46%, OB, 2010) NAS, 46% ABV, £35 for 70cl Score 77/100 What they say: Bruichladdich Rocks, in more ways than one – as only Bruichladdich can. A bracing, light and floral dram that expresses both the marine top-notes of classic Bruichladdich spirit and master distiller Jim McEwan’s lifetime experience. Jim has selected individual […]
  • Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley (2014) – Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley (50%, OB, 2014) 50% ABV, £40 for 70cl What they say: This single malt Scotch whisky has been crafted by master distiller Jim McEwan from individually selected casks to showcase the classic, floral and elegant Bruichladdich house style. Unpeated, it is our signature bottling and the definitive Bruichladdich. Made […]
  • bruichladdich-scottish-barley-the-classic-laddie-whisky Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley (2018) – Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley whisky review: Mealy and sweet, this Laddie expression is full of the cereal barley it represents with a generous portion of sweet honey, I found myself picking up a hint of gentle earthy peat (not smoke) in here that reminded me so much of how peat pervades everything in Islay – including me after being there for a few days, their really is nowhere else quite like it and this had me longing to be back there soon! 84/100
  • Bruichladdich-The-Laddie-Eight Bruichladdich The Laddie Eight (2016) – Bruichladdich The Laddie Eight (50%, OB, 2016) Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Rémy Cointreau ABV: 50% Cost: £63.60 What they say: The classic, complex Bruichladdich dram, and our very first “Eight”. Our ‘new make’ spirit sets out on its journey through life full of the crisp, fresh, malty flavours derived from […]
  • organic-2009_trans-2-763x1030 Bruichladdich The Organic 2009 (2019) – Bruichladdich The Organic 2009 whisky review: Crisp and fresh, plenty of barley with a strong and sweet vanilla influence. A great display of the cereal flavour with a sweetening influence from the ex-bourbon and Tennessee whisky casks just adding a final polish to the distillate. 83/100
  • bruichladdich-organic-scottish-barley-1l-whisky Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley (2015) – Bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley (50%, OB, 2014) Bruichladdich Distillery Remy Cointreau 50% ABV £64.26 for 1L Score: 82/100 What they say: bruichladdich The Organic Scottish Barley 100% Scottish organic barley, slow trickle distillation and premium American oak have produced the creamiest whisky we have ever tasted. In Victorian times, when Bruichladdich Distillery was built, […]
  • Octomore-10.1 Octomore 10.1 (2020) – Octomore 10.1 / 107ppm / 5 Years Old (59.8%, OB, 2019) ABV: 59.8% Age: 5 Years Old Bottling: OB Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Cost: £125 Origin: Bruichladdich distillery Vintage: 2013 What they say Distilled from Scottish barley in 2013, Octomore 10.1 is the benchmark of the 10s series. Deliberately stripped back to an […]
  • Octomore 10.2 (2021) – 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
  • Octomore 6.1 (2014) – Octomore 06.1/167ppm Scottish Barley (57%, OB, 2014) 57% ABV, £90 for 70cl Score: 90/100 What they say: The world’s most heavily peated whisky, this is the sixth edition of the uber-experimental cult Octomore. Titanic amounts of peat but with a light, delicate complexity and a beguiling finesse. Young, yet eminently mature, it defies us. It […]
  • bruichladdich-octomore-07-2-5-year-old-scottish-barley-whisky Octomore 7.2 (2015) – Octomore 07.2 / 208ppm Cask Evolution (58.5%, OB, 2015) Bruichladdich Distillery Remy Cointreau 58.5% ABV £118.18 Score: 87/100 What they say: octomore07.2/ 208ppm Cask Evolution The latest exemplar of the cult that surrounds the world’s most heavily peated whisky series. A limited edition cuvee that marries spirit matured in classic American oak with spirit matured […]
  • Octomore_08_R2017_8_1_700 Octomore 8.1 (2018) – Much more refined and a little less challenging than previous Octomores (from memory!). There is a good sweetness that helps roll that tar, wax and smoke out all over your mouth. 88/100
  • Octomore 8.2 (2019) – Octomore 08.2 whisky review: Another peat monster but with some serious wine/fruity sweetness thrown in for measure. A little in conflict at first on the palate but eventually settles into a succulent sweet peatiness liked smoked jam. The wine casks have thrown in a handful of other fruits and plenty of oakiness too for good measure. 90/100
  • Octomore-08.3-763x1030 Octomore 8.3 (2019) – Octomore 08.3 whisky review: A mixture of sweet and bitter make for quite a complex dram permanently backed by peat influences but never overpowered by it. Lots of delicious woody herbal influence and a little earthen too in places, there is soft and tropical fruits and coconut in here also.  87/100
  • Port_Charlotte_CC_01_2007 Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01 (2016) – Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01 (57.8%, OB, 2016) Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Rémy Cointreau ABV: 57.8% Cost: £63.60 What they say: The Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01 is the latest in our thought-provoking range of single malts. Each is a tribute to the exceptional, heavily peated spirit that was created at Loch […]
  • port-charlotte-an-turas-mor-whisky Port Charlotte An Turas Mor (2015) – Port Charlotte An Turas Mor (46%, OB, 2015) Bruichladdich Distillery Remy Cointreau 46% ABV £35.39 Score: 88/100 What they say: Port Charlotte Heavily peated Heavily peated Single Malt Scotch Whisky THE POWER OF PEAT WITH THE ELEGANCE, COMPLEXITY AND FLORAL TOPNOTES FOR WHICH OUR BRUICHLADICH STILLS ARE FAMOUS. COULD IT WORK? PORT CHARLOTTE SINGLE MALTS, […]
  • Port Charlotte PAC: 01 2011 (2021) – 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
  • Port Charlotte PC11 EORNA NA H-ALBA (2014) – Port Charlotte PC11 EORNA NA H-ALBA Heavily Peated (59.5%, OB, 2014) 59.5% ABV £150 for 70cl Score: 88/100 What they say: This seventh annual release in our Port Charlotte PC series encounters this heavily peated spirit eleven years into its journey. Each year we release just a handful of precious bottles at cask strength. Our […]
  • Port Charlotte PC12 OILEANACH FURACHAIL (2015) – Port Charlotte PC12 OILEANACH FURACHAIL (58.7%, OB, 2015) Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt 58.7% ABV, ~£110 for 70cl Score: 88/100 What they say: In the Port Charlotte PC range we celebrate change. Our very first release, PC5, eight short years ago was named “Evolution”. With arrivals there are departures. Nothing lasts forever. And so, the […]
  • bruichladdich-port-charlotte-scottish-barley Port Charlotte Scottish Barley (2014) – Port Charlotte Scottish Barley (50%, OB, 2014) 50% ABV, £44.95 for 70cl available at Royal Mile Whiskies (here) Score: 88/100 What they say: Pronounced “brook-laddie,” Bruichladdich sits close to Port Charlotte on Islay. Apart from a break in the 1920’s and 1930’s whisky has been produced steadily until 1983 when production ceased briefly. In 1985, the […]
Independent Bottling
Douglas Laing
  • bruichladdich-13-year-old-2002-cask-10957-old-particular-douglas-laing-whisky Bruichladdich 13 Years Old 2002 Old Particular 10957 (2020) – Bruichladdich 13 Years Old 2002 Old Particular Whisky Review: Spirit driven though there are hints of vanilla and spice from the cask noticeable in places, orchard fruits, honey and slightly coastal salt-caramel prevail, great. 85/100
Duncan Taylor
  • bruichladdich-21-year-old-1992-cask-3987-dimensions-duncan-taylor-whisky Bruichladdich 21 Years Old 1992 Dimensions (2020) – Bruichladdich 21 Years old 1992 Dimensions whisky review: An unusually quiet expression, very restrained, a touch minty which worries me of a slightly underactive 3rd fill+ cask perhaps?  83/100
Jeffrey Street Whisky
  • Bruichladdich-11yo-2004-JeffreySt Bruichladdich 11 Years Old 2004 Straight From The Cask 1480 (2020) – Bruichladdich 11 Years Old 2004 Straight From The Cask whisky review: Sweet and straightforward, a little challenging at cask strength but much softer and more approachable with water, plenty of lovely caramelised sugars in this one. 84/100
Private Cask
  • Bruichladdich-15yo-cask0560 Bruichladdich 15 Years Old 2001 Private Cask 0560 (2017) – Bruichladdich 15 Years Old 2001 Cask 0560 (56.8%, OB, Bourbon HH, 2016) Category: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: Bruichladdich Distillery; Private Single Cask Bottling ABV: 56.8% Cost: ? What they say: Private single cask bottling from Bruichladdich – see image for details What I say: One of a pair of casks […]
Scotch Malt Whisky Society
  • SMWS 127.37 Dinosaurs Dancing to Stravinsky (2015) – Port Charlotte 9 Years Old 2003 127.37 Dinosaurs Dancing to Stravinsky (66.5%, SMWS, Refill Sherry Butt, 649 Bottles, 2013) Port Charlotte 66.5% ABV £109.50 Score: 87/100 What they say: Cask No. 127.37 Nose: The initial nosing is (obviously) peat up front, but there’s something else going on, which we quickly identified was the influence of […]
  • SMWS 127.42 Peat freak heaven (2015) – Port Charlotte 12 Years Old 2002 127.42 Peat freak heaven (63%, SMWS, Refill Bourbon Barrel, 127 Bottles, 2015) Islay single malt scotch whisky 63% ABV, £61.30 Score: 87/100 What they say: Cask 127.42 Colour: Dull amber Flavour: Heavily Peated The nose had unmistakable smoke (though we argued about the intensity), something medicinal (plasters, surgical spirit, […]
  • SMWS-127.44-cantina_mexicana_label-593x1024 SMWS 127.44 Cantina Mexicana (2016) – Port Charlotte 12 Years Old 2003 127.44 Cantina Mexicana ~ 56.9% (SMWS) Category: Islay single malt scotch whisky Origin: Bruichladdich Distillery Bottling: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask 127.44 ABV: 56.9% Cost: £120 What they say: Not only does it look lovely in the glass – a wonderful deep amber colour – but its aromas […]