Editor’s Note: This whisky was provided to us as a review sample by Bruichladdich. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link towards the bottom of this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
Bruichladdich was founded in 1881. But by the late 20th century, it had fallen into disrepair. Mark Reynier, an English wine dealer obsessed with the nuanced and delicate flavor of Bruichladdich’s whisky, bought the mothballed distillery in 2000 after several years of trying, and failing, to get its parent company to sell it to him. He hired former Bowmore distillery manager Jim McEwan to run the place, and set about reintroducing this remarkable but somewhat forgotten spirit to the whisky world. (For the full story—and a great read—check out Kelefa Sanneh’s account in The New Yorker.)
Today the brand is owned by Remy-Martin, but it’s still pursuing its own, Reynier-inflected ideas with quixotic verve. Unlike most distilleries on Islay, Bruichladdich’s whisky is almost entirely unpeated. Port Charlotte and Octomore, which are also made onsite, are heavily and extraordinarily peated, respectively. Over the past decade in particular, Bruichladdich has also poured more time, energy, and effort into exploring the nuances of barley terroir, organic barley, and barley varieties than any other Scottish distillery.
The result has been a thrilling array of releases that probe questions serious whisky drinkers have pondered for eons. How important are age statements, really? Is there an upper limit to peating? An upper limit to transparency? How much of barley’s flavor comes from where it’s grown? What about ancient barley varieties? And what responsibility does the whisky industry have to support grain growing practices that take the environment into account? How about its responsibility to the community at large?
This whisky, Bruichladdich Classic Laddie, is the brand’s flagship single malt. Even if you’ve never tried it, you’ve seen it. The opaque turquoise bottle is a visual explosion on a shelf of often stodgy tartan-and-staghorn labels.
Classic Laddie doesn’t have an age statement or rigid cask bill, but it’s always made with Scottish barley and never chill filtered nor artificially colored. Each bottle comes with a code on the bottle that you can type into Bruichladdich’s website to find out more information about every whisky in the blend, including cask types and, sometimes, fill dates. My bottle came from batch 21/011. I’ll spare you the full details of the 13 different cask types, except to note that it contains organic barley and Islay barley as well as standard Scottish barley, some Bordeaux and Muscat casks, and a fair smattering of French oak.
Tasting Notes: Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie
Vital stats: Islay single malt, no age statement, 50% ABV. Priced in the U.S. around $55.
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Appearance: Bright gold
Aroma: My immediate impression is of bright, floral fruitiness, with red currant, passionfruit, and baked pear as well as chamomile and honeysuckle. Underneath those top notes is an earthy, grainy quality, like hot cereal topped with melting butter. Vanilla bean intertwines with a touch of struck match and Brazil nuts.
Palate: Lavish cereal richness supports an array of sweet and floral delights: orange, red currant, chamomile, Meyer lemon, and white grapefruit all dolloped with honey vanilla yogurt. That almost candied sweetness fades into an a satisfyingly savory midpalate, with bittersweet toasted walnuts and Brazil nuts studding musty oak. At the end, though, it takes a final swerve back to the sweet side, leaving me with the lingering impression of sugary grapefruit gummy candies.
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