Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01

This is the 100th whisky review. My initial encounter with whisky was around late 2015, simultaneously acquiring my first bottle, Glenfiddich 12. Now, after seven years, I'm documenting my thoughts on these remarkable spirits for the 100th time. I estimated about 70 whiskies I’ve tried haven't made it here, including a single cask French oak Sullivans Cove. Back then, I was diving into whisky like any novice, unaware of my limitations regarding palate and patience, a state I'd argue persists. Those 70 are spirits I didn't deeply consider or truly appreciate. Over the past year, my aim has been to improve, treating whisky, much like my geology studies, as a meditative pursuit. While traveling back to Perth in late 2016, I bought a bottle of this travel retail exclusive, Port Charlotte CC:01, at duty-free. I drank it and enjoyed it, though I suspect I didn't fully appreciate or comprehend it then. For over a year, something in my memory has urged me to revisit it, insisting it was wonderful. It took me more than a year, but I finally obtained another bottle. Despite the hit from currency conversion and import duties, I succeeded. Tonight, I'm validating my past self, reaching 100 reviewed tastes, and leveling up my whisky enthusiasm. Nose: I've allowed this initial pour to rest for about half an hour. Wonderful scents have drifted over. It's incredibly vibrant and sharp. A subtle earthiness is present, accompanied by a gentle herbaceous peat that drifts by. A deeper inhale reveals a fruity sweetness, a hint of mustiness, and some peppery, tannic notes. It took me a while to identify, but there's also a distinct aroma of a sack of white potatoes. I believe this qualifies as complex. Palate: An initial burst of high-proof warmth is followed by a pleasant, uplifting tingle that warms all the way down. Beautifully controlled herbal peat. An enticingly thick brininess persists throughout the entire experience. Sweetness comes from candied ginger and citrus peel, balanced by more peat and iodine. The fruit and brine from the casks vie for my attention. At times, there's a creamy mouthfeel, alongside a slightly more assertive woody sensation. Both textures are delivered by a malty funk. Everything here works perfectly for me. I find this exceptional. Finish: Very long. Salty, stone fruit, slightly woody smoke, and some earthiness. Adding a few drops of water and letting it sit for another ten minutes opens the nose, bringing the peat forward and making it more representative of the palate's depth. The palate becomes slightly thicker, darker, and resembles a muddy field in winter. Imagine freshly plowed fields to get a sense of the palate's journey. However, there's also an underlying note of creamy custard, providing a comforting sensation like a warm sweater. I believe this is a rare, possibly unique, example of a whisky fully matured in cognac casks, spending eight years in the barrel. Port Charlotte 2007 CC:01 was bottled at cask strength (57.8% ABV), is non-chill filtered, and naturally colored. Vintage, age statement, full cask details, natural presentation, cask strength—this represents outstanding transparency. All the quality elements that Bruichladdich puts into their bottles are present here. Masterful peat and excellent honesty. It possesses immense complexity, and I'm sure I haven't uncovered all of its offerings. However, this isn't quite the whisky I recalled from six years ago; it's superior. I anticipated more fruit from the cognac, and while it's present, I have to actively seek it out, which I appreciate. It's a powerful whisky that demands time and attention. My only criticisms: is it perhaps *too* complex? So much is happening. I think I'm okay with that. Is it a little too aggressive in its heat by the end of the dram? Possibly. Crucially, was the extensive search and overpayment worthwhile? Yes. I believe this is absolutely fantastic stuff. [I don't have any rocks from Islay, but I do have a few from France. Clocking in at around 220 km from Cognac is this Retrograde Eclogite from Correze. It features lovely red garnets in green omphacite with dark reaction rims on the garnets. The original high-pressure metamorphism that formed this rock occurred about 420 million years ago and it was uplifted (and retrogressed) to the surface around 380 million years ago. Lovely specimen]

Nose (undiluted): Warm, gentle, soft peat smoke accompanied by sweet fruity notes of berry compote, rhubarb jam, and stewed peaches. There's absolutely no alcohol sting on the nose. Fresh, salty air from Loch Indaal at low tide, mixed with freshly turned earth and a faint scent of a diesel tractor idling in the fields. A hint of sweet citrus (orange? mandarin? tangello?), some lemongrass tea, and a touch of coconut. Over time, the aroma becomes richer, thicker, and more appealing. It's almost perfect for a peated spirit, with the sharp, powerful elements perfectly balanced by sweetness. Nose (with water): Similar to above, but water initially releases the ethanol presence and makes the spirit a bit wild. If diluting, give it a good swirl and ten minutes to settle down, which it will certainly do, and it will return even better than before. Palate (undiluted): Sweet, elegant, and potent, it offers a captivatingly smooth entry. The peat smoke blends with sweet fruits, vanilla, and subtle cooking spices (cinnamon, vanilla, clove, preserved stem ginger). There's a rich brininess reminiscent of matjes herring in oil (delicious!) sprinkled with iodine and orange liqueur. The texture is creamy, coating the mouth, and velvety like baked egg custard with stewed peaches and apricots. Oak influences are present but very subtle, forming the underlying character of robust, mature fruit which is the core of this dram and an ideal carrier for moderately high peat levels. Palate (with water): As above. Like with the nose, dilution initially brings out sharper spicy notes in this whisky, but they are quite pleasant as they balance the softness of the plump undiluted palate. Over time, they combine to create one of the finest peated whiskies I've experienced. Finish: Long. Sweet lemon, ashy peat smoke, and a hint of Laphroaig-like iodine rest lazily on a bed of stewed fruit. The aftertaste is soft, earthy, leathery, and semi-dry. With dilution, the sweet fruity notes become more pronounced. Wonderful. An exquisitely deep, soft peated whisky. I understand this was aged in ex-cognac casks, a process that can be amazing or go quite wrong, but in this instance, the maturation was textbook. If this were the only whisky I could drink for the rest of my life, I wouldn't be unhappy. It's precisely the profile of peated whisky I enjoy most, and there's little more I can say except to thank the person who generously shared this sample with me. It's now unobtainable, but when it was first released in Australia, you could purchase a bottle for AUD$170. How I wish I had bought several cases then. I confidently award this whisky a rating of... “Outstanding”: 91/100 (5 stars)

Smell - Subtle smoke, baked apples, golden raisins, a touch of warm salt, a hint of apple saltwater taffy (with water) The smoke nearly vanishes but is otherwise unchanged. Taste - Mild charcoal/campfire smoke, sea spray, candied apple, slightly drying, golden raisins, sweet habanero for a drying heat (with water) Less sweet, fruitier bitterness increases slightly, otherwise unchanged. Aftertaste - Very drying, light fruity bitterness, apples, golden raisins (with water) Unchanged. Score - 81/100 Final Thoughts - This had a pleasant aroma, with gentle smoke balanced by some salt and sweet, fruity creaminess. The cask influence is rather understated here; I don't detect strong cognac notes, but rather a more fruity, creamy apple custard vibe. Add in some salt and a hint of campfire smoke, and it resembles an apple custard, though lacking the creaminess. Hints of golden raisin appear sporadically, but this drying, slightly bitter sensation dominates. It seems hotter than its stated proof might suggest, but a bit of water helps to moderate that. However, I find that water amplifies the fruity bitterness. I believe this is best enjoyed neat or with just a few drops of water; I tried diluting it to around 50% ABV, and the bitterness became too pronounced. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Perhaps Would I buy a bottle? - Probably not another NOTE - All assessments are made without considering the price.

Acquired this at Gatwick Airport's World of Whiskies. Light straw color. Intense smoke and barbecue on the nose. Very similar to an Ardbeg Uigeadail, but more pronounced, or perhaps an Octomore bottling. The cognac barrels seem to add smoothness to the peat. I'm not detecting distinct fruit flavors, possibly related to the barbecue notes. Despite lacking an age statement, the legs suggest some maturity. Sweet smoke on the palate initially, followed by strong tobacco notes. A substantial, lengthy finish. The higher alcohol content is beneficial. Water does not enhance it, in my opinion. It was worth the hundred-dollar cost, and the premium over the Uigeadail. An outstanding Islay offering.

A contest between Cognac and genuine Islay peat smoke. The aroma suggests smoke, vanilla, and spice, and the taste is a brawl. It's like a party in your mouth with everyone welcomed. The alcohol content is cask strength, yet surprisingly, there's no alcoholic bite or roughness for an 8-year-old. Nevertheless, the alcohol content makes its presence known shortly after. This is a potent spirit. It handles water exceptionally well, softening the smoke and revealing new notes of butterscotch and nuts. This is a sophisticated and robust dram. I'm pleased with it.

Creamy, complex, apple, peach, sweet, moderate carbonation. Balanced tartness, sweetness, peachy apple, low carbonation, complex with a slight oily feel. Quite pleasant but lacks some depth in the flavor profile. A smoky aftertaste with bitterness and tartness. A decent score; will go with a slightly lower one. Smoky character, Cognac finish. Dry, apple, pear, moderate to high carbonation, vanilla, solvent-like notes. Complex, creamy, vanilla, apple, savory-sweet-salty blend, oak. Long finish, smoky, low peat.