Islay’s Bruichladdich has built a bit of a reputation for its obsession with barley types and terroir. We hung out at the recently-purchased croft next to the distillery to get an exclusive update on the barley trials.
Last September, Islay distillery Bruichladdich bolstered its barley focus when it bought a neighbouring croft to accelerate its work in whisky terroir. Part of its vision? To explore new and heritage barley varietals and ultimately amp up the flavour in whisky.
The croft is now being used to test how as many as 60 different varietals take to the Islay soil and climate – and what their resulting flavour and yield might be. We take a walk up to the croft with Bruichladdich’s communications manager – malts, Christy McFarlane.
Filming up at Bruichladdich
