Bruichladdich Black Arts 10.1
I first tried the Bruichladdich Black Arts at a bar in Chicago called The Milk Room. The bartender was impressed I was going for it. It was expensive ($90 for a 2 ounce pour) and probably something most people are not as familiar with.
She was very knowledgeable about whisky of all varieties and explained to me the hype around it. That it is the personal project for the head distiller at Bruichladdich. That was still Jim McEwan at the time. That it is aged for a long time, and that everything about how the whisky is made is known only to the head distiller.
I was sold on all the hype, and it definitely lived up to it. I tingled as I drank it. Black Arts got me more interested in trying more of the limited releases from Islay, appreciating the island’s unpeated whiskies, and the history of Bruichladdich. It is what motivated me to make sure I visited Bruichladdich when I went to Islay for my first time.
It’s an exciting dram, and I am grateful to help give you more information on the latest release in the Black Arts series, which is the 10.1 released in 2022. This is the oldest whisky I have ever had at 29 years. Nowadays, Adam Hannett has taken the reigns from Jim McEwan and is continuing the tradition of an amazing whisky.
The Basics
Aged: 29 years
Bottles available: Unknown
Casks: Unknown
ABV: 45.1%
Color: Dark amber
Nose: Bubble gum, banana, clove, spice
Cost: More than $482 or 385 pounds
Purchased at: The Islay Whisky Shop on Islay
Taste
The first sip gives you a subtle taste of oatmeal and banana. It’s a very neutral and pleasant taste that finishes with a taste of light spice.
At 29 years, the lower ABV is to be expected, but that lower ABV allows you to easily enjoy the flavors of the cask(s) it was matured in.
Neat or With Water
At 45.1% ABV, this whisky does not need to be taken down a notch with water. You get the sweetness of the whisky with no water and the spice that comes as part of the finish is much stronger and more flavorful served neat.
When I added even just a drop of water, the oatmeal and banana taste was very smooth and highlighted more, but the finish was much more subdued. I personally enjoyed it neat with the flavor a bit stronger as part of the finish.
Summary
This is an expensive whisky, but it’s a special one that should be savored when you get a bottle of it. For those of you who do not appreciate an unpeated dram, this is not something you will be as interested in. However, it might be the unpeated dram that wins you over if you give it a try.
A 29-year aged whisky for only $482 is a really great deal in my opinion. It showcases that Islay whisky can’t be categorized as just peaty whisky. There is more than enough room for incredible whiskies of all varieties, and the Black Arts is one of these outliers that shines bright.
I am a little disappointed that the distillery does not provide more information on how many bottles were released like they did for other releases of Black Arts (e.g. 18,000 for the 6.1 release). Maybe this is the future of Islay whisky as no age statements and less details on the maturation process are released to the public. Maybe we should focus more on if the dram is good one relative to its price instead of obsessing over age and process. I still am always a fan of having as much information as possible, but I believe that Bruichladdich is giving us something special despite the limited information available.
I don’t know if I need to get another bottle of the 10.1 for its price, but I will without doubt get another Black Arts bottle when the next release comes out or if I find an interesting older version on the market. If you end up getting the 10.1, you are getting a tie for the oldest whisky in the Black arts series, one of the first in Adam Hannett’s career, and, most importantly, a beautiful whisky that will continue to push your whisky curiosity further.