Bruichladdich distillery is well know for its various cask finishes or ACE's as they like to call it themselves (A)dditional (C)ask (E)nhancement - usually from some obscure wine cask likely sourced at a good price from Mark Reynier's wine firm...
This is all very fine if the results is good whisky that may previously have been maturing in tired casks... but really sometimes you'd think the they at Bruichladdich think ACE is A-C- Enchantment as far from every wine finish they've done have worked, IMO.
Now, don't despair - there's good wine finishes out there! I'll be the first to admit to that as well... The best ones I've had has been from ex red wine/port and/or calvados casks...
I've chosen to keep sherry casks out of the mention here as they're more widely used and generally provides a more successful maturation result - again of course IMO :-)
Such a result is today's review of another SMWS 127.xx - Port Charlotte...
Port Charlotte 2001 127.29 (14.12.2001/xx.xx.2012) 10yo 'Separates the men from the boys' 63,8%, Refill ex-sherry butt, 73 bottles, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Colour is amber
Nose:
Damp peat, beach bonfire and quite a few medicinal traits, old bandages, iodine and band aids.
A dark heavy winey sweetness with anise and a bit of a dirty cask feel with plenty of spices
Taste:
The sherry is initially dulls the peat for a second or 2, then the peat hits in full force with salt, brine, seaweed, also a feeling like sucking on a stick from a wet bonfire before classic sherry notes of dried fruits and spices arrive along with hint of bitter (smoky) chocolate
A very forceful PC, this one... and it truly 'Separates the men from the boys'!
87/100!
Showing posts with label Port Charlotte. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Port Charlotte. Show all posts
Friday, 25 January 2013
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
PORT CHARLOTTE 2002 127.21 'NOT FOR WUSSES' - THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY
We leave the Islay south shore for the next 2 reviews and head across the waters of Lochindaal to Bruichladdich Distillery.
Now, Bruichladdich was - as previously mentioned on this blog, sold to Remy Cointreau in the summer of 2012 with a promise from the Remy conglomerate not to change much of daily life at Bruichladdich Distillery - and hopefully they won't... It's the single largest workplace on Islay, mainly due to its bottling hall and along with the rest of the jobs there, it could make a significant impact on the local island economy if e.g. jobs were cut or moved off the island. Now, I've not read or heard anything pointing in that direction, so fingers crossed it does not happen...
Time to head onto the review this time which is a Port Charlotte from the SMWS, distillery code 127- making it a relative new distillery to be bottled by the SMWS - the first being back in 2010 (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Now, the original Lochindaal Distillery closed in 1929 and since then Bruichladdich has tried to keep its legacy alive by distillery spirits different from the standard Bruichladdich. They've even had plans to start up the Lochindaal as their 2nd distillery and calling it Port Charlotte in the village of the same name, but this project seems to have been scrapped.
Not so long ago, I reviewed a Lochindaal from Bruichladdich here which is their 50ppm spirit.
Port Charlotte is 40ppm, so slightly less peated - at least on paper - taste wise compared to the Lochindaal spirit its much more aggressive than the only Lochindaal I've tried so far.
Port Charlotte 2002 127.21 (21.06.2002/xx.xx.2012) 9yo, 'Not for wuzzes' 65,9%, refill ex-bourbon barrel, 222 bottles, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Colour is straw
Nose:
Charcoal and peat fires, orange marmelade, oregano, citrus, shellfish, vanilla, ginger and old cigar box.
Taste:
Smooth on salt, peat and all things seashore on arrival, the high abv% only showing at the back of the mouth. Creamy, lemony and more smoke and peat, finishing on salmon smokehouse and heavy malt.
A lovely Port Charlotte from a what must have been a pretty active refill cask!
86/100!
Now, Bruichladdich was - as previously mentioned on this blog, sold to Remy Cointreau in the summer of 2012 with a promise from the Remy conglomerate not to change much of daily life at Bruichladdich Distillery - and hopefully they won't... It's the single largest workplace on Islay, mainly due to its bottling hall and along with the rest of the jobs there, it could make a significant impact on the local island economy if e.g. jobs were cut or moved off the island. Now, I've not read or heard anything pointing in that direction, so fingers crossed it does not happen...
Time to head onto the review this time which is a Port Charlotte from the SMWS, distillery code 127- making it a relative new distillery to be bottled by the SMWS - the first being back in 2010 (please correct me if I'm wrong).
Now, the original Lochindaal Distillery closed in 1929 and since then Bruichladdich has tried to keep its legacy alive by distillery spirits different from the standard Bruichladdich. They've even had plans to start up the Lochindaal as their 2nd distillery and calling it Port Charlotte in the village of the same name, but this project seems to have been scrapped.
Not so long ago, I reviewed a Lochindaal from Bruichladdich here which is their 50ppm spirit.
Port Charlotte is 40ppm, so slightly less peated - at least on paper - taste wise compared to the Lochindaal spirit its much more aggressive than the only Lochindaal I've tried so far.
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| They're truly progressive at Bruichladdich - they have dogs driving their trucks! May 2011 © The Malt Desk |
Port Charlotte 2002 127.21 (21.06.2002/xx.xx.2012) 9yo, 'Not for wuzzes' 65,9%, refill ex-bourbon barrel, 222 bottles, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Colour is straw
Nose:
Charcoal and peat fires, orange marmelade, oregano, citrus, shellfish, vanilla, ginger and old cigar box.
Taste:
Smooth on salt, peat and all things seashore on arrival, the high abv% only showing at the back of the mouth. Creamy, lemony and more smoke and peat, finishing on salmon smokehouse and heavy malt.
A lovely Port Charlotte from a what must have been a pretty active refill cask!
86/100!
Thursday, 26 July 2012
NEW RELEASE - PORT CHARLOTTE PC10
Bruichladdich makes it to the news often these days - especially with the news of their sale to French group Remy Cointreau.
This time the news is of a different nature - its a new release... and one this blogger is eager to try...
The Port Charlotte Spirit peated spirit from Bruichladdich has reached 10 years and a 6000 bottle release is due for August. The alc.% will be 59,8% and its an all ex-bourbon cask release.
Price will be around 95€ and the name of the release will be 'TRO NA LINNTEAN'
Official PC10 product sheet can be found here
This time the news is of a different nature - its a new release... and one this blogger is eager to try...
The Port Charlotte Spirit peated spirit from Bruichladdich has reached 10 years and a 6000 bottle release is due for August. The alc.% will be 59,8% and its an all ex-bourbon cask release.
Price will be around 95€ and the name of the release will be 'TRO NA LINNTEAN'
Official PC10 product sheet can be found here
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| Official Picture by Bruichladdich |
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