Bruichladdich launches world’s first quadruple distilled 18-year-old single malt Scotch whisky: Bruichladdich X4+18 Edition 01.
The release is the first instalment in a four-part series and marks a major milestone for the Islay distillery and for whisky as a whole. Quadruple distillation is rare enough to be almost unheard of in whisky, never mind Scotch whisky.
Meet the world’s first quadruple-distilled single malt
Meet Bruichladdich X4+18 Edition 01
The story begins with Jim McEwan MBE, who distilled the spirit in 2006 as part of a revival of a near-mythical seventeenth-century practice. Travel writer Martin Martin once described islanders producing a four-times-distilled usquebaugh baul, also known as perilous whisky. McEwan decided that this piece of history should not stay buried, and the distillery’s early experiments produced cult favourites such as X4+3 Perilous Spirit, Octomore Discovery, and the 70% Octomore X4+10.
Bruichladdich spirit is typically distilled twice. A significant portion of Irish whiskey is triple distilled, as is some Scotch, such as Auchentoshan. The Islay distillery has tread this path before with its X4 releases, but X4+18 takes the process a step further. This is the first actual single malt, which could well prove controversial. The SWA doesn’t actually specify the number of distillations in its legislation, so technically Bruichladdich hasn’t contravened any rules… But we know that even the hint of compromising the good name of Scotch gets the SWA out in force.
The spirit was run through the stills four times, reaching an eyebrow-raising 85% ABV. Then it began a long rest in a mix of bourbon and Rivesaltes casks on the Rhinns of Islay. The result arrives this November in a limited run of 2,400 bottles, bottled at a confident 63.5% ABV. Adam Hannett, Bruichladdich’s master blender, says, “Bruichladdich has never been afraid to push boundaries. X4+18 Edition 01 is the culmination of a daring experiment, 18 years of patience, and the perseverance of our Islay home. It shows that innovation can go hand-in-hand with elegance, excitement, and truly exceptional flavour.”
Say hello to Bruichladdich head distiller Adam Hannett
Meet Bruichladdich X4+18 Edition 01
This is the latest ambitious project from Bruichladdich’s experimental team, the same branch responsible for Black Art and Octomore. The X4+18 series will roll out across four editions, with Edition 02 set for 2027.
The press release tells us that, despite its power, the whisky remains surprisingly elegant. The long maturation in bourbon and Rivesaltes wood has softened the spirit without muting the vibrant fruit from those four passes through the stills. There’s a full tasting note below.
The packaging keeps pace with the whisky inside. X4+18 Edition 01 appears in the distillery’s Luxury Re/Defined bottle made with recycled glass. Creative agency Thirst has produced a vivid label built around four abstract graphic forms. Each represents a stage of the whisky’s journey.
The release lands just ahead of Bruichladdich’s twenty-fifth anniversary celebrations in January 2026, and it signals the tone for what is likely to be an energetic year of special bottlings from the B Corp-certified distillery. With interest in rare, unusual, and high-concept whiskies at an all-time high, X4+18 feels perfectly timed.
Bruichladdich X4+18 Edition 01 Tasting Note:
Nose: Dried apricot, sweet mango, toasted oak, muscovado sugar, honeyed pastry, vanilla fudge.
Palate: Rounded, smooth, with jammy fruit, Christmas cake, Brazil nut depth, and citrus marmalade.
Finish: Lingering stewed fruits and mellow oak with warming sweetness.