Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009

Second installment of the Wee Laddie tasting set review. This expression is specifically bottled for the tasting set and lacks a vintage or farm designation, so I opted not to create a separate entry. The Bruichladdich Islay Barley, featured next, distinguishes itself from the Classic Laddie by utilizing exclusively Islay-grown barley, aiming to showcase the impact of terroir on the final spirit. Similar to the Classic Laddie, it's presented at 50% ABV, remains non-chill filtered, and boasts a natural yellow-gold hue with no peat. The aroma presents robust barley notes, honey, and lemon citrus, with a damp, musty, and earthy character. Despite being unpeated, it carries a peated feel initially, followed by notes of lemon squares, subtle golden apples, peaches, pineapple, and grilled plums. A touch of minerality and wheat bread is present, alongside vanilla, oak, maple, toffee, butterscotch, buttery pecans, and very faint raspberries. The palate is quite spicy and intensely malty, with abundant honey, hay, lemon, and salt. Oak and warmth are noticeable, with a green and slightly vegetal quality. Apricots and ginger are detected. It's young, lively, and spirit-forward, but lacks significant complexity. The mouthfeel is medium to full-bodied, oily, and thirst-quenching. The finish is medium in length, featuring spice, oak, and salt. I am not impressed with this whisky. While it is proudly presented as non-chill filtered, natural color, and at 50% ABV, its flavor profile is underwhelming and its intensity makes it difficult to truly enjoy. It does effectively demonstrate the importance of terroir (or more specifically, barley varietal) and how altering only the barley can profoundly affect the spirit's inherent qualities. I did not experiment with adding water, which might have improved it. As it stands, I rate it a 3.5. Cheers

[UPDATE: I was initially going to rate this a 3, but as I progressed through my tasting and note-taking, the whisky evolved significantly in the glass. What began as rather muted and unexpressive became much more open, with bolder flavors emerging. I highly recommend allowing this to sit uncovered in the glass for at least 10 minutes.] The nose is quite subtle, featuring a hint of sea spray, honeysuckle, and the faintest trace of citrus, leaning more towards lemon than grapefruit, but clearly a blend rather than a single note. It may not be astounding, but it is certainly distinctive. The palate closely mirrors the nose in flavor profile, but underneath it all lies an essence of the outdoors. Imagine enjoying a grapefruit while seated on clean linen in a freshly harvested hayfield, with the wind carrying the soft vanilla and sugar notes of honeysuckle past you. While not overly complex, it is pleasant and enjoyable. The finish is regrettably short, as it represents the most appealing aspect of the dram for me. It becomes rich, oily, and infused with lemon and eucalyptus flavors... if they could sustain this flavor throughout the entire experience, it would be a 5-star Scotch. As it stands, the finish is primarily what prevents it from being rated a 3. I'm starting to suspect that Bruichladdich might not be to my taste. This is disappointing, given my strong fondness for the peated expressions from Port Charlotte, and Octomore being my second favorite spirit of all time. I am uncertain, but I am determined to find out.

Tasting: Islay Barley 2010 Bruichladdich Islay Barley is quite surprising and displays considerable complexity, requiring time to reach its full potential. This pour needs space to open up. Without adequate aeration, neither the drinker nor the scotch will fully appreciate its character. Initially, I perceived only honey. The aroma was somewhat sharp, acidic, and contained acetone-like notes. However, it gradually evolved, revealing numerous other aromas such as rich cream, vanilla, butterscotch, dried maple leaves, caramel candies, brown sugar, and molasses. While first impressions are significant, and this dram eventually grew on me, the initial nose didn't captivate me until several minutes after pouring. On the palate, a medium body presents toasted grains, oatmeal, and intensely sweet elements with a playful character. The Islay Barley could be considered a dessert dram by some, but it successfully balances its profile with a bold warmth. The finish lingers briefly before fading within approximately 30 seconds. A residual warmth remains in the chest for a few moments after swallowing, leaving a smoother texture. Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2010 is a worthwhile purchase if you can find it. Honestly, for a crowd-pleasing option from Bruichladdich, you might prefer the Classic Laddie. However, if you enjoy a contemplative dram, this one might suit your taste. (FWF Share #67 [3/23/2018])

In observance of Robert Burns day, I would be remiss if I didn't partake in a few sips tonight, and what better way than to review three offerings from Bruichladdich. I got a 3x200ml gift set for Christmas with 2008/09/10 barley expressions. Let's proceed. The aroma of this bottling is quite distinctive. I typically expect fruit, or malt, or smoke, etc., but this one is making me work for it. There's just a trace of tart green apples and watermelon rind attempting to conceal what's truly present, which is that organic barley. It possesses a sweet, chalky quality, reminiscent of opening your first pack of Popeye cigarettes as a child. An interesting, but unconventional, aroma. The initial taste is also unconventional, playing a trick by making you anticipate sweetness but moving directly into savory and umami. Darker earthy notes are present here with decaying vegetation (peat) and some hints of char in the mid-palate. I didn't mention the strong barley presence, but that's a given. A good amount of white pepper and some baking spice arrive at the end just to make their presence known. Finish is medium short, with a bit more smoke, oak, and spice rounding it out. This dram is somewhat darker (in experience) than the 2010 I just reviewed, and those additional couple of years suggest it aims to be taken more seriously, which it demonstrates in the taste. A truly great whisky.

Nose: Immediately greeted by sweet notes of vanilla cream, lemon meringue, pear, buttered waffle, and possibly a subtle hint of mint. Deeper exploration reveals layers of Islay character, including light brine, damp earth and moss, with a distinct sage presence. Taste: An initial wave of fresh black pepper and Islay funk (echoing the nose). The mid-palate shifts, introducing sweeter elements like vanilla cream, waffle, pear, and lemon tart. The sweetness gradually fades into a lingering peppery earthiness. Final Thoughts: A quintessential example of the elegance found in unpeated Islay whiskies. While the distillery's Classic Laddie sets a high bar, their Islay Barley releases offer distinctive variations. This expression is rich with complexities I'm sure I haven't fully uncovered and anticipate discovering more with each revisit. Nosing again after a sip is quite refreshing, as the sweeter notes become more concentrated. It's certainly a superb whiskey providing an enjoyably intricate nose and palate. Disclaimer: If the 2009 bottling is unavailable, consider the Classic Laddie. Their profiles are only about 10-15% different, with most core characteristics present in the Laddie. This particular bottling is simply sweeter.

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 50% ABV, Non-Chill Filtered, Natural Color Part two of the Wee Laddie tasting series, this Bruichladdich Islay Barley is anticipated to surpass the Classic Laddie, which was rather disappointing. Let's see how the Islay Barley measures up. On the nose: sweet honey, malt, citrus peel (orange/lemon), caramelized sugar, and floral notes. Quite pleasing. On the palate: sea salt, vanilla, honey, spice, almond, and orchard fruits (apples and pears) – truly superb. On the finish: mirrors the palate, with lingering notes of sea salt, honey, vanilla, and almond. Wow – this is genuinely impressive. The quality exceeded my expectations. It possesses a character reminiscent of Old Pulteney, which is always a welcome presence here. If you can get your hands on a bottle, do so. It should be available for around $60 and is well worth the price. I'll definitely be purchasing another bottle soon. It's understandable why a certain famous actor reportedly favors this Scotch. Overall Score: A