Bruichladdich
Scotland
Single Malt
Introduced as the flagship Port Charlotte expression produced by Bruichladdich in 2018, this 10 year old single malt from the Isle of Islay is a lip-smackingly smoky number indeed. It's peated to 40ppm, and drawn from a combination of first-fill American whiskey casks, second-fill American whiskey casks and second-fill French wine casks.
Salted caramel brownie, flamed orange peel, a hearty whack of seaweed.
Oak-y smoke and salty sea air, paired with sweeter notes of Custard Cream biscuits and white grape.
Ginger snaps, rye toast, drying peat smokiness.
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Received as a birthday present. If tasting blind I would have guessed cask strength Laphroaig (rather than Ardbeg, as others have suggested). A bit too hot (alcoholic) and sweet for my tastes, but I may buy again.
Bruichladdich have crafted something wonderful here. Port Charlotte 10 yo sits easily with the other titans of Islay with an assuredness it perhaps doesn't have a right to given the distillery only recommenced production in the early 2000's. It has the disinfectant, briny, iodine notes typical of young Islay whiskies with a rich malty sweetness and a hint of aniseed underneath. This is smoother and more complex than Ardbeg 10 (Laphroaig 10 doesn't even come close), but I still prefer Lagavulin 8, so I took half a star off.
It says on the label its heavily peated, id say its not that peated, its nice but at 50 pounds its to expensive,quite a rough finish, ardbeg is much nicer for same kind of money. It lakes that sugar mixed with water in a ash tray finish that ardbeg 10 year old has x
As I sip this I may tell you this starts with a strong alcoholic waft followed quickly by peat smoke and spices. On tasting you get a dry saltiness of smoke (if that makes sense) Long salty afterburn, not harsh but not smooth. Drops of water bring out the sweets.
interesting reading the reviews there are clearly some Ardbeg fans out there. i wonder how many of them are wed to youtube reviews. For me the port charlotte is a league above ardbeg 10. Dont get me wrong, if i had to list my top 10 whiskies Ardbeg 10 is top 3. Port charlotte is a different proposition though. Ardbeg is very much dry peat a stereotype the PC has a much rounder offering . It carries 50% amazingly well and the balance of sweet and sour is perfection its not all about the massive peaty punch. there isnt the raw saltiness of ardbeg either. i think the PC is worth the extra just because its that bit more special. this said i still wouldnt swap either for a springbank but thats a different story altogether. for me the PC is a must try
