Editor’s Note: We received a review sample of this whisky from the brand. However, in accordance with our editorial policies, this has not influenced the outcome of our review in any way.
The Port Charlotte line of Scotch single malt whiskies is an offering from the Bruichladdich distillery on Islay in Scotland that finds itself in an interesting place in Bruichladdich’s line-up. It is nestled between the flagship Bruichladdich series, all of which are unpeated, and the Octomore bottlings, all super-heavily peated. Being “heavily” peated itself, the Port Charlotte’s smokiness can range to a hearty 40 ppm.
Drawing from grain grown on Islay, the Scottish mainland, or both, the Port Charlotte releases include a couple of age statement expressions, a vintage-dated bottling, and some one-off things. It is named after an Islay village two miles south of the distillery.
What’s in the bottle
Port Charlotte 18 Year Old, the focus of this review, is the oldest expression of this specific brand ever to be released. Distilled from 100% Scottish mainland peated barley and laid down in 2004, it was matured in a combination of refill sherry casks (74%) and refill French oak wine casks (26%) before being bottled at 54.3% ABV after 18 age years of aging.
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“This is a special moment in my career and it’s a privilege to finally share our Port Charlotte 18 Year Old with the world,” said Bruichaddich head distiller Adam Hannett when this was released. “This is the oldest expression of Port Charlotte we’ve released to date and it’s a real marker in time. It showcases how far the brand has come since its inception in 2001. From uncertainty and the brink of closure, this spirit was laid down in 2004 while Bruichladdich Distillery found its feet, making its release today even more poignant. ”
Only 6,000 bottles were made for this release, which is natural-colored and un-chill-filtered. It costs $199.99.
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