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Thompson Bros Bruichladdich 2004 21 Year Old Review

Does this rare 21-year-old Islay Bruichladdich, bottled by Thompson Bros to mark 25 years at Dornoch Castle Hotel, live up to its age and exclusivity?

OVERALL RATING

7
  • Mark Bostock, a whisky enthusiast specializing in independent bottlings.
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Tasting Notes

About:

A 21-Year-Old single malt from Islay’s Bruichladdich distillery, bottled by the Dornoch distillery based independent bottler Thompson Bros. This exclusive single cask whisky was specially selected and bottled to celebrate the Thompson Family’s 25th anniversary at the Dornoch Castle Hotel in 2025. Distilled on the 30th June 2004, this whisky was matured for 21-years in a first-fill barrel. Only 182 bottles were produced, at natural colour and non-chill filtered. Bottled at 54.9% ABV.
Appearance:
Light Gold
Nose:
Soft aromas open with fresh grass, hay and floral vanilla shifting to sweeter notes of caramel and toffee apple accompanied by orange citrus. There are also notes of marzipan and pear.
Palate:
Soft on the palate, with an initial sharp spirit note. Pears with citrus, apricots and grapefruit are followed by honey and marzipan. There are also notes of coastal salt, oak and pepper.
Finish:
Medium length, with flashes of sea salt and pear, but centring on warm and slightly bitter tannic drying oak.
Comments:
A well-aged Bruichladdich from Thompson Bros, but at times this one felt dominated by some sharp, sour or bitter notes; ranging from initial sharp spirit, to at times slightly sour pear, and some bitter oak tannins on the finish. From my own experience I’m closer to a score of 6.5, but given the age and rarity we’ll say 7 out of 10.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Mark Bostock

Mark Bostock, an integral part of the Mark Littler LTD UK content writing team since 2019, brings a genuine passion for whisky, especially independent bottlings, to his work. His commitment to expanding his knowledge through attending tasting events and building his own collection enriches his contributions, blending expertise with enthusiasm.

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