Old Bruichladdich 15 Year Review
All of the distilleries on Islay have gone through tough times over their histories. Ardbeg, Bunnahabhain, and Bowmore all had to cease operations at certain points. Some distilleries never re-emerged. Bruichladdich is the most recent story of an Islay distillery that fell on hard times but eventually came stronger than ever.
For those unfamiliar with the history, Bruichladdich was founded in 1881 and operated until 1995 when it was shut down by owners Whyte and Mackay. It was then reopened in 2000 by new ownership and under the leadership of a whisky legend in Jim McEwan, who had been the distillery manager at Bowmore before taking the helm of Bruichladdich.
What this means is there are the old Bruichladdich bottles of whisky still out there on the market. Old Bruichladdich meaning before the distillery reopened in 2000. Bottles like the one being highlighted today: a 15-year old Bruichladdich from a date that we may never truly know. I reached out to Bruichladdich to see if they could give a year estimate based on the branding or other details, and they told me that they couldn’t say with certainty when it was made or released to market. Just that it could be any time from before the distillery closed.
Getting your hands on these is still possible. They show up in whisky auctions pretty frequently and are not unreasonable in price. I am a sucker for them. They give you the chance to understand the distillery as it once was. It’s an opportunity to take a sip of history.
This is in no way meant to downplay the whiskies currently made by Bruichladdich or after the reopening in general. Bruichladdich makes incredible whisky. The Black Arts series opened my eyes to all the creativity taking place on Islay. It’s not just all about the peat, and Bruichladdich has proven this since its beginning.
This bottle, which I can only assume was aged in some kind of bourbon cask, is only becoming rarer to find. This whisky is special, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to review it for you all.
The Basics
Cask: Unknown, but probably bourbon
ABV: 40%
Color: Amber
Nose: Caramel, vanilla, cinnamon
Cost: 110 pounds or $136.10 US dollars at the time
Purchased at: Scotch Whisky Auction (Auction Number 143)
Taste
The first sip is a creamy vanilla flavor that is complemented by cinnamon with a caramel finish. It’s an unpeated whisky and offers no burn from the alcohol in the palate or finish. It’s smooth but also full-bodied and rich.
Neat or With Water
With the lighter ABV of 40%, I found drinking without water was the way to go. It’s smooth and easy to drink all on its own. Save some water for the fishes.
Summary
Sampling this whisky was such a fun and exciting opportunity. Hopefully it’s the first of many old Bruichladdich bottles I’ll have the chance to experience, but the Bruichladdich 15-year was a great way to begin to understand the history of Bruichladdich.
The whisky itself is smooth and sweet. The low ABV makes it not very harsh and absent of any burning while drinking. For those who like a strong bourbon influence in your scotch, this is definitely worth a try.
Would I buy this again for 110 pounds? I don’t think so. It’s a nice dram, but it’s expensive for what it is. Part of my answer is biased by the fact that I don’t love bourbon as the sole flavor in a whisky. I don’t know with certainty that a Bourbon cask is all that went into making this whisky. It’s just a guess based on trying it.
That being said, I have no regrets going for this whisky. There are only so many old Bruichladdich bottles out there anymore. It’s amazing to get the chance to try something that you will never see again.