Simon Tastes The Whisky Cellars Bruichladdich 'Rhinns' 10YO Jurancon Vin Doux Naturel Cask
In recent times my once passionate love of Bruichladdich has waned somewhat. Without beating around the bush - as I've become more sensitvive to butyric acid and the some-what sour milk odours, I've found the Laddie releases more than a little challenging. That said, I'm mindful that everyone has a different level of tolerance for butyric, and whiskies shouldn't be written off for its presence.
Which brings us to the Whisky Cellar bottling of a 10 Year Old Bruichladdich single cask, fully matured in a French dessert wine cask (a Jurancon Vin Doux Naturel cask). The whisky is a 'Rhiins' distillation - a name given by Bruichladdich for their peated whiskies in the 20-30ppm range.
For context - Jurancon dessert wines are typically between 40 and 80 grams of residual sugar, meaning while sweet they are not as lusciously sweet as say a Ice wine or a Rutherglen Muscat. This cask should (and does) add fruit characters rather than layers of syrupy sweetness.
So on to the Whisky:
Colour: Golden
Nose: Byteric, yes for sure, but met with honeyed orchard fruits (nectarines), dried grasses, fresh plums and a subtle bonfire peat. The overall impression is of a really well balanced malt with great complexity.
Palate: Bright, almost aggressive (it is 58.9%). A fight between peat and nectarine fruits. It's sharp, which contrasts the balance apparent on the nose. Plenty going on with Cedar oak, charcoal, citrus notes, grasses, smoked ham-hock plums and nectarines.
Finish: Sweetness fades into a long drying peat bonfire finish.
ABV 59.9%