Bruichladdich 1970 vs Bruichladdich 15 yo 1965 Moon Import decanter ‘Royal Wedding’
I quite like the Bruichladdichs from the independents, distilled in the early 90s and ONLY those matured in refill bourbon. Fresh, elegant and fruity, and very honest. Older Bruichladdichs are also well regarded …
Bruichladdich 1970 bottled 2002 44.2%
Label says ‘Aged in Oak Casks’, which pleases me greatly…
Nose: It’s really good. Not only is it free of the clutter of wine finishes that one finds in Bruichladdich all too often, but the spirit itself speaks volume to its quality. Lightly oily and a just-so salt tang, and rather lush with a fruitiness that’s perfectly ripe, the sort you worry about because the fruit may be mush tomorrow. Though not a bursting tropical fruit, more of a premium western fruit hamper but everything is perfectly ripe. Also a fair bit of grass clippings. Some clean earth or clay as well. Clean malt, warm butter. Curious how fruitiness and grass seem to go together in so many whiskies. Overall a medium light body that’s on the whole still more subtle and elegant than big.
Palate: Light oily and coating. Thin but rich if that makes sense: great fresh juicy fruitiness, slightly citric, really a winning juiciness. Grass again, and a bit of a wintergreen or eucalyptus edge. Clean earth, and I think I get salt but it’s hard to tell. Again elegant and subtle. A winner in this category.
Finish: Long, citrus fruit sting, bit of salt. Barley candies.
Bruichladdich 15 yo 1965 Moon Import ceramic decanter ‘Royal Wedding’ Prince Charles and the Lady Diana 52%
Nose: I’m looking for fruit but I find old sherry. Tiny bit of sulphur but more meaty leathery rich and dry aromatics that say genuine old sherry butt. Peanut shells, vague cardamom and cloves, and something somewhat minty fresh like spearmint. Maybe just maybe a little salt as well, hard to say, it’s quite an old and weak nose, and the sherry’s completely overrun the spirit. Hard to imagine what the spirit here might have truly been like, something it has in common with the erstwhile marriage of the couple it features.
Palate: Old sherry notes, and a rather strong black pepper. Quite some gristly, roasty notes as well. Moldy bung cloth and dank warehouse floors. Lots of old soaked oak. Oak tannins, a cloud of oak spices. Rather grippy and quite drying. All about the sherry which is rather decent, but of Bruichladdich I don’t really get anything.
Finish: Medium long, dry but rich aromatics and oak.
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