Whisky Review: Bruichladdich Black Art 1994 Edition 08.1

I graduated from college in 1994; seems like a lifetime ago. So it was with a special relish that I cracked open whisky that went into a barrel that same lifetime ago. I only wish I had aged so well.rnrnFor a whisky release built around mystery barrels, I don’t taste obvious signs of exotic cask finishing. This tastes like quality Scotch put into used bourbon barrels a quarter of a century ago and allowed to mellow nicely. If there are sherry or port or brandy casks involved here, I’m not able to identify them.rnrnJim Beam also owned the Isle of Jura Distillery in the 1990s, which is not far from Bruichladdich. It wouldn’t be surprising if Beam shared personnel and barrels between the two distilleries. Jura is known for mellower, more delicate Scotches than its Islay neighbor. It’s possible that influence might be what you taste in Black Art Edition 08.1 – although in that case, you’d expect it to be translated to the other Black Art expressions.rnrnWhatever the influence, this is good Scotch. I won’t try to answer whether it’s worth the price tag; that’s a personal decision for the buyer. I’m here to tell you it’s high-quality whisky, and I’d be happy to pour it for fellow Scotch enthusiasts any time.