Have just tried > Bruichladdich 1984 'Golder Still'

Bruichladdich (pronounced brook-laddie) is located on the western peninsula of the famous whisky island of Islay and sits on the shores of Loch Indaal. Islay is the traditional home of the world's smoky whiskies but the Bruichladdich distillery style is in contrast to these, being lighter, fresher with generally little or no peatiness. The distillery was originally founded in 1881 and was built using stones from the local beach (plus concrete, making Bruichladdich one of the first buildings in the UK to be built using it!). It is a small distillery with an annual production capacity of just 700,000 litres. Bruichladdich translates as 'the brae (or hillside) by the shore' from Gaelic.

Bruichladdich is one of Scotland's most innovative distilleries and one of very few that remain independently owned. It was taken over by a group of four entrepreneurs who formed the Bruichladdich Distillery Company in 2000 and their aim was to give Bruichladdich's whisky production and release programme an experimental edge. In contrast to this, the new owners renovated the distillery to its former glory and decided to maintain the traditional whisky making machinery and techniques. There are no computers used for production and it is one of the most traditional and historical distilleries in Scotland.

The Golder Still is a release that was distilled in 1984. It was bottled in early 2008 at 23 years of age and there were just 4866 bottles upon its release later in the year. It was bottled at an alcoholic strength of 51% ABV. The Golder Still forms part of a mini series that was released by Bruichladdich at that time, and followed two other limited editions - the Redder Still and the Blacker Still. You can still find bottles around, although at £125 it is a little more expensive than when it was released.

The 'Golder' name is believed to be derived from the intense gold coloration of the whisky, that is a direct result of it maturing ex-bourbon casks that were experimentally constructed to be shorter and fatter than a normal old bourbon cask. This means that the whisky to wood ratio is greatly increased - therefore, the natural compounds in the wood have more relative influence on the whisky. The packaging is also impressive and distinctive, especially the bottle which boasts a matt gold coating.

Our tasting notes
The colour of Golder Still is golden yellow and the nose is expressive and fresh for a whisky of this age. Initially, there is a ton of vanilla and these are quickly joined by a lovely combination of aromas, including honey, cereal grains (imagine oatcakes), almonds and some distinct woody spices (think of cinnamon bark and nutmeg). Two further subtle notes give pleasing depth to the nose - the first is reminiscent of custard powder and the second has a slightly dusty, earthy quality. On the palate, this whisky does not disappoint as the promise of the nose is fulfilled. It is initially surprisingly tangy, with a citrus zesty note particularly prominent (imagine orange especially) then giving way to some lovely, sweet and rich characteristics - think of vanilla, honey, malty cereal grains and increasing wood spice (that cinnamon and nutmeg again). The whisky feels syrupy and oily in the mouth with the spicy notes particularly gripping to the palate. The finish is lovely but quite short. It begins sweetly with vanilla and honey notes, before turning drier and spicier with some bitter oakyness coming through to give a fresh, mouthwatering quality. A final hit of zesty, almost spiced, orange accentuates this.

What's the verdict?
A delicious dram that is of high quality. It shows what can be achieved by using good ex-bourbon casks sympathetically. The Golder Still is lovely, with a complex mix of rich, pleasant and complimentary characteristics. The person that shared this with us said (before we knew what it was ...), "if you don't like this whisky, then there is something wrong with you!". We would not quite go that far but if you ever get the chance to try or buy it, then we will let you make your own mind up!

Our Top 10 whiskies of 2010 > Part 1

2010 has seen many new whiskies released on to the market. We have sampled and reviewed a number of these over the last year at Whisky For Everyone, so we have decided to choose our top 10 favourites of these new releases. A similar Top 10 that we published this time last year has proved to be one of our most popular ever and we hope that this one is enjoyed as much.

Such Top 10s are always subjective and are therefore contentious as a result - everyone has differing opinions at the end of the day. We have tried to select our Top 10 on a ratio of quality, value for money and availability to the public. To this end, there are not really any single cask or independent bottlings included, despite some excellent ones being sampled throughout the year. However, some are limited edition bottlings that are still available to purchase.

We have split our Top 10 in to two parts – numbers 6-10 can be found below and another post with numbers 1-5 and our ‘Whisky of the Year’ will be published shortly. Please let us know what you think of our choices by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post. OK, so here goes ...

6 > Glenfiddich 14 years old Rich Oak
This whisky from the famous Speyside distillery was launched at Whisky Live, London last February and has undergone an innovative maturation – 14 years in ex-bourbon casks then 18 weeks in brand new oak casks (12 weeks in American oak and six in European oak). The introduction of the new wood adds a pleasant, spicy intensity to Glenfiddich’s usual gentle nature. You can sit and sniff the nose for ages as numerous aromas fight for your attention, including vanilla, apple, cinnamon, sultan, cedar wood and burnt orange. These aromas are also reflected on the palate, which has a more woody, spicy and zesty edge. Stewed fruits and sweet vanilla notes add softness and balance. The finish is long, complex and warming. A delicious and lovely dram.
Click here to read our original post about Glenfiddich Rich Oak.

7 > Arran 14 years old
The Arran distillery was only founded in 1995 and this new whisky represents the oldest single malt released to date from there. It came on to the market last August. The nose is highly perfumed with aromas of vanilla, coconut and honey coming first, followed by plenty of oak, cereals, dried grasses and a hint of peach. A silky, fresh and juicy palate follows on from this promising start with vanilla, honey and cereals again, backed up by cinnamon and nutmeg spice. The finish begins sweetly before becoming drier to add great balance. This is a superb whisky that offers a lovely combination of aromas and flavours. Arran whiskies seem to be getting better and better with increased maturation and we can’t wait to see how their releases in 2011 match up to this top effort.
Click here to read our original post about Arran 14 years old.

8 > Balblair 2000
This whisky was only released at the start of December but has already created significant waves and earned rave reviews around the whisky blogosphere! It replaced the popular 1997 expression in the core range and has been matured in second fill ex-bourbon casks. The colour is pale gold and the nose is very fresh and fruity. There are plenty of green pear and apple notes and these are backed up by vanilla, coconut and a whiff of mint. On the palate, it is again fresh with a lovely combination of flavours - pear drops, lemon zest, vanilla, honey, cereal grains and hints of icing sugar or sherbet. The finish is tangy but fairly short. This is an easy drinking dram that is light and fresh – it would be great taken in hot weather, as an aperitif or for a whisky beginner.
Click here to read our original post about the Balblair range.

9 > Connemara Turf Mór
Another release from late in the year, this whisky is hailed as the smokiest Connemara (and Irish whiskey) ever made. It is made at the Cooley distillery and is bottled at a hefty cask strength of 58.2% ABV. The nose is expressive and lively with fresh, tangy and vibrant notes fighting for attention – smokiness, honey, fresh green apples, vanilla, malty cereal grains, lemon and salt. The palate is wonderfully complex and the notes from the nose are reflected. The finish has lovely sweetness combining with the smokiness and just goes on and on … This is a delicious and very positive dram. So often, young peaty whiskies can give you a less pleasant or negative experience. The excellent balance, combination and contrast of aromas and flavours make this a dram to savour. What a cracker!
Click here to read our original post about Connemara Turf Mór.

10 > Bruichladdich Organic
Here is one of the few truly certified organic single malt whiskies available on the market. It was released by the innovative Bruichladdich distillery on the famous whisky island of Islay last Autumn. The whisky is made from organic barley and matured in a combination of fresh oak and ex-bourbon casks. The nose is youthful, fresh and vibrant with an appetising combination of aromas - cereals, pear, apple, vanilla, honey and almonds. The palate is light and zesty, before the notes from the nose mentioned above appear. The cereals are prominent, as are the honey and vanilla. A hint of welcome cinnamon/nutmeg spice rounds things off. The finish is on the short side but is expressive, cramming plenty in to a short space of time. A fine dram that should be the benchmark for all future producers of an organic whisky.
Click here to read our original post about Bruichladdich Organic.

New releases > Bruichladdich Organic

Independently owned
The Bruichladdich distillery (pronounced brook-laddie) is located on the Scottish island of Islay in the west Hebrides. The traditional Bruichladdich distillery style is in contrast to the smoky style of whisky for which Islay is famous - it is lighter, fresher and generally with little or no peatiness. The distillery was originally founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey and sits on the shores of Loch Indaal - it was built using stones from the local beach and was one of the first buildings in the UK to be constructed using concrete! The current owners are the Bruichladdich Distillery Company. They are an independent consortium of four businessmen and they took over in 2000. It is a small distillery with an annual production capacity of just 700,000 litres and Bruichladdich translates from Gaelic as 'the brae (hillside) by the shore'.

Organic whisky?
Examples of truly organic whiskies are hard to find - Benromach Organic single malt and the blended Highland Harvest are the two most readily available to the UK market. Here, Bruichladdich - the self proclaimed 'Progressive Hebridean Distillers' - have given a full scale release to their organic single malt whisky. This follows on from a limited edition organic release in 2009, which proved popular and won much acclaim. This new version will retail at £35-40 in specialist retailers and has an alcohol strength of 46% ABV. The whisky contains organic barley from three different Scottish farms and is certified as 'organic' by the Biodynamic Agricultural Association. It has been matured in a combination of fresh oak and ex-bourbon casks and has been created from a selection of different ages by Bruichladdich's Master Distiller Jim McEwan.

Our tasting notes
The colour of Bruichladdich Organic is a pale lemon yellow and the nose is youthful, fresh and vibrant. There is a lovely, appetising combination of aromas - firstly there are malty cereals, then juicy fresh green fruits (think of pears and apples) and vanilla, then something reminiscent of dried grass (or straw) and finally a hint of honey and some distinct almond notes. On the palate, this is light, delicate and again fresh. It has an immediate zesty (think of lemons) and mouthwatering quality that makes you want to have more. Through this comes prominent notes of vanilla, robust cereals and dried grass. These are followed by more subtle characteristics - some sweet honey, the fresh green fruits (especially pear - this is verging on peardrops now) and just the merest hint of some wood spice (imagine cinnamon). The finish is short, which is slightly disappointing. However, it is lively and crams plenty in to a short period of time - there is sweetness (vanilla, honey and a hint of icing sugar) to begin with, before turning drier with the malty cereals and dried grassy notes dominating. Finally, the flavours disappear to leave the burn of youthful alcohol in the mouth.

What's the verdict?
This is a refreshing and delicate whisky, where the quality of the barley used in production and the casking used in maturation shine through. It would make an excellent aperitif dram. The whisky is on the lighter side and may not be to everyone's taste, but should definitely be tried if you have the chance. Any distillery looking to produce and release an organic whisky should look at this Bruichladdich for quality and use it as a benchmark. In our opinion, it is one of the better new releases of 2010.

Have just tried ... Bruichladdich Waves

Bruichladdich (pronounced brook-laddie) is located on the western peninsula of the famous whisky island of Islay in the west Hebrides. Islay is the traditional home of the world's smoky whiskies but the traditional Bruichladdich distillery style is in contrast to these, being lighter, fresher and generally with little or no peatiness. The distillery was originally founded in 1881 by Barnett Harvey and sits on the shores of Loch Indaal - it was built using stones from the local beach and was one of the first buildings in the UK to be constructed using concrete! The current owners are the Bruichladdich Distillery Company. They are a consortium of four businessmen and they took over in 2000. It is a small distillery with an annual production capacity of just 700,000 litres and Bruichladdich translates as 'the brae (hillside) by the shore' from Gaelic.

Details of the whisky
The Waves name comes from the natural environment surrounding the distillery. This rugged landscape on the island of Islay inspired Bruichladdich's master distiller, Jim McEwan, to create a Bruichladdich whisky with a slight difference. This has a mild level of peat smoke of approximately 15PPM (PPM is the scientific measurement used to calculate peat levels in the barley and whisky and stands for 'Phenols Per Million') and has been matured predominantly in ex-bourbon casks before being transferred to Madeira wine casks. It is bottled at seven years of age and 46% ABV alcohol strength, and should cost around £30-35 a bottle from specialist whisky retailers or through www.bruichladdich.com.

Our tasting notes
The colour of the Waves is a vibrant golden yellow and the nose has a pleasant freshness to it. There is an immediate hit of vanilla, honey and sultanas and this gives way to more tangy notes, especially some zesty lemon and a hint of saltiness. Then comes the distinct notes of coarsely milled cereals and mild, earthy peat smoke. It seems delicious. On the palate, the characteristics observed on the nose are all present, but appear mostly in reverse. Firstly, the cereal grains and peat smoke (think of damp moss) kick things off with a slightly bitter edge (imagine iodine). These are quickly joined by the tangy lemon zest and salt notes, before the sweetness comes through with some rich vanilla and honey. Finally, comes dried fruit (sultanas again), some stewed fruits (think of pears and apple) and a hint of toffee. The initial feeling is slightly jarring but everything combines well in the end to give an enjoyable and balanced dram. The finish is decent with the smokiness becoming more prominent than before and adding a touch of dryness right at the end. However, overall it is soft, sweet and very easy to drink!

What's the verdict?
Bruichladdich Waves is a decent and well balanced dram that offers richness, softness and a little flavour of peat smoke. This would make it ideal for a beginner but also for someone who is wanting to learn more about smoky whisky, as it has that smoky peaty element but without it being too heavy or the predominant feature.

Have just tried ... Bruichladdich 20 years old 'Flirtation'

Bruichladdich (pronounced brook-laddie) is located on the western peninsula of the famous whisky island of Islay and sits on the shores of Loch Indaal. Islay is the traditional home of the world's smoky whiskies but the Bruichladdich distillery style is in contrast to these, being lighter, fresher and generally with little or no peatiness. The distillery was originally founded in 1881 - it was built using stones from the local beach and was one of the first buildings in the UK to be constructed using concrete! It is a small distillery with an annual production capacity of just 700,000 litres. Bruichladdich translates as 'the brae (hillside) by the shore' from Gaelic.

Innovative yet traditional
Bruichladdich is one of Scotland's most innovative distilleries and one of very few that remain independently owned. It was taken over by the Bruichladdich Distillery Company - a group of four entrepreneurs - in 2000 and they have given Bruichladdich's whisky production and release programme an experimental edge. They have become renowned for maturing their whisky in non traditional casks, such as those used for wine and dessert wine. The innovative range is big and always updated with new releases. In contrast to this, the new owners renovated the distillery to its former glory and decided to maintain the traditional whisky making machinery and techniques. There are no computers used for production and it is one of the most traditional and historical distilleries in Scotland.

More stability
On occasion, the Bruichladdich release programme seems difficult for consumers to keep track of. Different ages of whisky are released from different casks and the list is now extensive. The good news for consumers is that the distillery have now announced that they will continue to experiment but that the core range will remain more stable. This Flirtation was produced under the previous ownership and has undergone maturation in ex-bourbon casks for 20 years, followed by six months in Mourvèdre red wine casks from the Languedoc region of southern France. It is released at 46% ABV and should cost around £70, if you can find a bottle.

Our tasting notes
The colour is golden amber and the nose is rich and initially sweet. There is plenty of immediate caramel, honey and fruits. This fruit is a mix of dried fruits (think of sultanas and prunes especially) and stewed or cooked apples. Mingling with these are other notes which give the nose a slightly bitter edge - some distinct cereals, plenty of wood spice (imagine cinnamon and nutmeg) and a hint of damp soil. On the palate, this starts sweet and silky, before becoming drier, spicier and noticeably tannic. The sweetness is again led by caramel and honey, with plenty of the dried and stewed fruit notes present (think of the sultanas, prunes and apple again, plus stewed plums and a hint of orange zest). Then come the drier and spicier notes. These give the palate a slightly bitter edge and include some cereal grains, dried grass, plenty of spices (imagine cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger) and distinct oak. The overall feeling is slightly oppressive and heavy. The finish is dry and spicy, with a lasting prickly heat. The tannins from the red wine cask are most evident here and they give it extra dryness, meaning that the whisky quickly becomes very woody and oaky.

What's the verdict?
This whisky is another interesting experiment from Bruichladdich. Many people enjoy Bruichladdich for its lightness and freshness but this original delicacy is only hinted at here. The extra age and the red wine cask have beefed it up significantly. Mourvèdre is a rich, tannic, intense and dry style of red wine and these characteristics battle with the lighter elements of the whisky. Someone who was tasting with us described this whisky as being like a lithe athlete being bulked up with steroids. Some of the red wine cask finished whiskies are better than others and while this is interesting to try and a decent example, there are other younger ones which seem to offer more balance and value for money.

Have just tried ... Bruichladdich Octomore 2

Bruichladdich (pronounced brook-laddie) is located on the western peninsula of the famous whisky island of Islay, sitting on the shores overlooking Loch Indaal. Islay is the traditional home of the world's smoky whiskies but the Bruichladdich distillery style is in contrast to these, being lighter, fresher and generally with little or no peatiness. The distillery was originally founded in 1881 and was built using stones from the local beach. It was also one of the first buildings in the UK to be built using concrete! It is a small distillery with an annual production capacity of just 700,000 litres. Bruichladdich translates as 'the brae (hillside) by the shore' from Gaelic.

Bruichladdich is one of Scotland's most innovative distilleries and one of very few that remain independently owned. It was taken over by a group of four entrepreneurs in 2000 and they have made Bruichladdich very experimental with its whisky production and release programme. They are reknowned for maturing their whisky in non traditional wine and dessert wine casks. Their innovative range is extensive and they are always updating it with new releases. In contrast to this, the new owners renovated the distillery to its former glory and decided to maintain the traditional whisky making machinery and techniques. There are no computers used for production and it is one of the most traditional and historical distilleries in Scotland.

The Octomore series is part of this innovation. The whisky bucks the trend at Bruichladdich by being hailed as 'the smokiest whisky ever produced'. It has a peating level of a whopping 140ppm (phenols per million - the scale used to measure the amount of peat absorbed by the malted barley). To put this in to context, its nearest rival is the Ardbeg Supernova - a limited release that was just over 100ppm - and regular bottlings such as Laphroaig 10 years old and Ardbeg 10 years old are around 50ppm. Octomore has been distilled by Bruichladdich once a year since 2003 and this is the second release at five years of age. The first release was in 2008 and had the slightly lower peat level of 133ppm. It is named after another former Islay distillery that ran between 1816 and 1852 and the ruins of this can still be seen today, close to the Port Charlotte malting house. Only 15,000 bottles of Octomore 2 are available worldwide.

The colour of the Octomore 2 is pale yellow and straw-like. Prepare for your senses to be thrashed - the nose is powerful and you can almost smell it before you open the bottle! The potent, almost eye watering, amount of peat smoke takes your breath away. The smokiness is earthy with some bitter iodine and has a distinct acrid note that is reminiscent of burning rubber or tyres. Behind this are other elements, but they take some significant time to be allowed through (at least five minutes). There is sweet vanilla and cereal grains, some fresh green fruit (think of apples) and a whiff of eucalyptus/menthol. On the palate, a similar thing happens. The aggressive and punchy peatiness is spicy (imagine red chillies and black peppercorns), damp and earthy with that burning tyre acrid note prominent. Finally, the vanilla, cereals, fruit and menthol come through to try and add some balance. The finish lasts forever and burns away like embers in a fire. There is a bitter iodine, almost antiseptic note that is evident.

Bruichladdich Octomore 2 is bottled at 62.5% ABV, so we tried it with some water. Even with water, it is very peaty but it does allow the sweeter elements to come through a little better - vanilla, cereal grains, damp moss,dried grasses and green fruits. This is a very interesting whisky that is worth trying but it does assault your senses and require a bit of patience. It is not for the faint hearted and lacks any subtly and balance at the moment, although this has potential and will come with further ageing. If you love peat, then you will love this. A bottle should be around £80-85 and be available from specialist whisky retailers.