The Bruichladdich distillery, located on Islay, was founded in 1881, but its current incarnation is a distinctly modern one; one that began in 2001 after it was revived—yet again—from the mothballs. Under the stewardship of master distiller Jim McEwan, Bruichladdich established itself as something of a maverick, forward-thinking whisky producer—combining traditional methods with a focus on terroir, authenticity and a product offering that was tailored to whisky enthusiasts.
An aged expression coming from this relatively recent history is thus quite a milestone, but it has indeed arrived. The Bruichladdich Eighteen is the first of the distillery’s new, high age-statement range that will be a permanent part of the collection. Bottled at 50 per cent ABV, the 18-year-old expression is a bright and uplifting one, with floral and fruity notes on the nose; on the palate, honey, butterscotch, and vanilla are accompanied by pronounced tropical fruit flavour that fades gently into a balanced finish.
Bruichladdich Eighteen is matured primarily in ex-bourbon casks, with a smaller number of sauternes and port casks. The distillery’s commitment to transparency is such that each bottle is accompanied by an identifying code that can be looked up on its website for even more detail—the year of distillation and the mix of casks, right down to the rough proportions, whether first or refill casks were used, and even where the barley was derived from. More than half of Bruichladdich’s barley is grown locally on Islay, while the rest is from the Scottish mainland.
Bruichladdich Eighteen also showcases the distillery’s new approach towards packaging. In an effort to increase sustainability and minimise waste, the traditional metal canister has been dropped in favour of an external cardboard wrap that is lightweight and recyclable. The bottle itself is of a new design that was introduced in the distillery’s iconic Classic Laddie—consisting of 60 per cent recycled glass, it is also almost one-third lighter than its predecessor, making them easier to ship and reducing its carbon footprint.
