Bruichladdich "The Ternary Project" 52.1%
Bruichladdich’s March (April, really) ballot bottle, capping off the Valinch ballots due to the distillery’s COVID closure. The pricing on this one caused quite a stir round the whisky groups. I think price expectations were much lower for the ballot and Bruichladdich might have been better served with this as a Fèis Ìle bottle. That said, if you’re willing to buy Black Art, you should probably be willing to buy this. And wow – does it deliver.
Anyway, we’re looking at a vatting: 30 per cent pre-closure Bruichladdich, 40 per cent early Port Charlotte, and 30 per cent 2008 Octomore. Regular Laddie cask wizardry is happening here: assorted bourbon, sherry, and wine casks. Bruichladdich cannot disclose the vintages of the older components publicly, but one may consider reaching out privately.
Colour Rose gold.
Nose Peat and smoke forward. Woody peat. Ash and smouldering embers. Quality Port Charlotte style – similar to a 2002 Rest & Be Thankful. Ripe strawberries and bananas. Some spices and coffee, think a chai latte and a flat white. Woody and herbal – think medicinal. Ash. Blueberry cheesecake. Biscuity malt, and a tiny little bit lactic. There’s that Laddie funk! Granola with dried goji berries. Like breakfast! Coconut and marzipan. Dates and figs.
Palate Mouth-coating, oily. Ash and burning wood. A lot of ash, chalk. Vegetal and earthy. Minerally, salty sea air, brine. Coastal. A little leathery, meaty. A little rubbery, sulphuric. Salted caramel chocolate. Very malty, bright and citric: tangerines, oranges. Lapsang souchong. Orange peels studded with cloves. A glass of Pinot Noir with chocolate hazelnuts. Wine-forward, bright berries and rounding oak tannins. With a little water, menthol sweets and mint.
Finish Bright, fresh grapes. Nutty. Loads of ash, soot. Elegant peat, woody, faint tire fires. Warming, but something more – powerful. Embers of a campfire that burns all night. Evolves into peat smoke, custard, and bananas. Lemon curd on toast. Long.
Comments Unmistakeable stuff. Very Bruichladdich: wine-forward, funky, elegant peat. A peated Black Art. But not an OBA: Port Charlotte is definitely taking centre stage here. It’s demanding: this is a complex dram that requires some effort and some time. 91/100.
