I was going to start this review by stating that I really like trying Bruichladdichs from before their restart in 2001. That would have been too much information in a way, since I like trying Bruichladdichs no matter what. Maybe the sole exception is the inexhaustible quantity of cask finishes from around 2008 or so.

Anyway, this one popped up in a set of bottles I got off of MvZ when he was pruning his collection. I intentionally went for stuff that you’d expect to have a higher score. I wanted to know how cynical and jaded whisky fanatics had become over the years, and in the end I did a ‘weird whisky tasting’ with a couple of those bottles.

This one was shared through regular channels and last weekend I finally emptied it, and wrote my tasting notes.

Sniff:
Digestive biscuits and rushes (that tall, sturdy grass on Islay). Straw too, crusty bread, dried apples. Still a bit rough and funky around the edges, which makes it very much ‘Bruichladdich’ in style. There’s a slight milky thing going on too.

Sip:
The palate has some sharpness. The ABV is noticeable and there’s a hint of white pepper. Oak, old barley and steeping tanks. Very malt forward, but also with hints of straw, marram grass, charred oak and old apple. Quite dry and the oak gets more room than before.

Swallow:
The finish is rather similar to the palate but does show that milky note that was there on the nose. Quite long and dry, with lots of oak and barley. Sawdust, grist, grass, straw. The works.

I think this is a true Bruichladdich whisky. It might not be as funky and weird as they can get, but it does exactly what you expect it to do. It’s an old fashioned whisky with lots of Victorian things, or at least, what I consider to be typical of those old distilleries that had almost no upgrades over the last century and a bit. Springbank is another one that comes to mind.

Rather enjoyable, this dram, but not superb. But, considering this was released by Whiskybroker.co.uk, the price would have been very acceptable or even low. And that would have made this a success, I think.

87/100