On Wednesday, Bruichladdich announced two brand new Scotch whisky expressions: an 18-year-old and 30-year old single malt, both aged exclusively on Islay.
Since reopening in 2001, Bruichladdich has placed immense importance on locally grown Islay barley, with 50 percent of the barley used for production grown on the island. The two Scotches also kick off Bruichladdich’s new line of whisky, Luxury Redefined, a collection of high provenance, age statement whiskies.
The Bruichladdich Eighteen is the first 18-year-old single malt produced by the brand, and was distilled sans chill filtration using a combination of Islay, organic, and Scottish Mainland barley. The majority of the whisky was aged in bourbon casks, and a smaller percentage was matured in Port and Sauternes casks before being combined and vatted for an additional nine months. According to the brand, the 50 percent-ABV expression carries floral aromas accompanied by ripe peach, vanilla, and creamed coconut. On the palate, it’s said to deliver a viscous profile highlighted by notes of honey, butterscotch, and syrup-soaked porridge ahead of the brand’s classic minerality on the finish.
While The Bruichladdich Eighteen showcases the distillery’s doctrine of locally-grown barley, The Bruichladdich Thirty pays homage to the brand’s history. In 1994, the distillery was mothballed, with just two staff members left to keep eye on the whisky left to age in the warehouses. Those same spirits now make up The Bruichladdich Thirty. The 30-year-old, non-chill filtered single malt is entirely matured in bourbon casks, with 50 percent of the whisky maturing full-term in refill hogshead casks and the remaining 50 percent resting in refill hogsheads before being recasked into fresh bourbon barrels for its final 10 years of aging. The whisky was then married and vatted to rest for three months before being bottled at 43.2 percent ABV. According to the brand, the whisky provides aromas of oak, coconut, Brazilian nuts, and vanilla along with notes of sweet toasted oak, light fruit, honey, and a hint of leather on the palate.
The whiskys are bottled in the brand’s new, sustainability-minded proprietary bottle, which contains an average of 60 percent recycled glass content. Their labels are also plastic-free and are adhered without any glue, further reducing the brand’s carbon footprint.
The Bruichladdich Eighteen and The Bruichladdich Thirty are available online and across the U.S., retailing for $179.99 and $1,999.99 respectively. Later this year, Bruichladdich is expected to release The Bruichladdich Twenty One as a Global Travel Retail exclusive, rounding out the line of high provenance age statement whiskies.
The company is also expanding its gin offerings through The Botanist. On March 1, The Botanist Islay Cask Rested Gin and Botanist Islay Cask Aged Gin will hit the market to launch the brand’s Cask Matured Gin Series, which applies the same philosophies used during Scotch production to the botanical spirit.
Islay Cask Rested Gin is matured for at least six months in a combination of over 15 American and European oak casks which, according to the brand, allow the spirit to take on a warm spice and candied citrus peel aroma. Its palate is said to highlight herbal notes of juniper, coriander, and citrus. Its sibling, Islay Cask Aged Gin, is aged for a minimum of three years in a combination of at least eight American and European Oak casks. Available only in bars and restaurants, this gin is said to have a creamy and viscous texture featuring ripe fruit, candied orange, and light juniper aromas along with vanilla ice cream and toasted oak on the palate.
Both gins are bottled at 46 percent ABV and are set to retail for a suggested price of $49.99 and $79.99, respectively.
