The primary whisky is unpeated Bruichladdich 2010 from a Rivesaltes barrique – just like what we already tried from Clever Dodger maybe.
Rivesaltes is without doubt one of the Vin Doux Naturel wines from the South of France. I visited the area final 12 months and positively advocate you look into the wines from producers like Cazes, Rombeau, Vaquer, Castelnou, or among the ‘unbiased bottlings’ within the L’Archiviste collection. Wine kinds are fairly huge, from a golden color to darkish pink, most aged between 1 and 5 years however typically lots longer, growing great rancio aromas, not in contrast to outdated Oloroso. Seeing these demijohns within the blistering solar is fairly spectacular.
The opposite whisky is Lochindaal 2010, a peated spirit that’s in between Port Charlotte and Octomore by way of smokiness.
Bruichladdich 12 yo 2010 (52,1%, The Whisky Company 2022, ex-Rivesaltes barrique, 255 btl.)
Nostril: wealthy and candy, with quite a lot of grape aromas (Muscat model), raisins, fruit jelly and plum syrup. Melons too (might be the spirit)? Caramel notes beneath, with brown sugar and a lightweight trace of hazelnuts and hay. Additionally cola sweet. Only a contact of sourness within the background, conserving the steadiness proper.
Mouth: once more slightly grape-y, however as an alternative of the anticipated (contemporary) Muscat profile, we’re now getting darker notes and a leafy profile. Hints of tobacco and earth, with mild tannins and numerous peppery notes. Brown sugar and toffee, with a touch of darkish chocolate. A delicate natural bitterness within the very finish.
End: lengthy, nonetheless spicy, mixing with the earthy sweetness and leafy notes.
This can be a fashionable profile that I didn’t count on from The Whisky Company, to be sincere. It’s quite wine- (and cask-)pushed. Whereas this provides richness and whereas the result’s fairly tasty and completely clear, it takes away quite a lot of the Laddie character. A properly contrasting companion to the subsequent one although…
Lochindaal 10 yo 2010 (53,8%, The Whisky Company 2021, barrel, 232 btl.)
Nostril: ah, that is the quite farmy and barely rustic model of peated Laddie. A number of intense aromas, like anchovies, antiseptics, tar and black peppercorns, towards a background of goat stables. There’s one thing of Seventies Brora to it. Sooty smoke and only a trace of citrus.
Mouth: daring and fatty, with a definite peatiness that’s fairly mentholated and candy on the similar time. Once more not too clear – I like this farmy facet. Olive brine, smoked lemon, hay. Candy spearmint and a touch of vanilla. Hints of yellow fruits, even mild banana (?) and white pepper ultimately.
End: lengthy and peaty, with maritime notes, pepper and hints of candy lemons.
I do know Lochindaal spirit is tough to get as an unbiased bottler, nevertheless it’s properly price attempting. A really punchy, sooty model however so thick and huge, with beautiful farmy notes. Now accessible from DeinWhisky as an illustration (let’s not take into consideration the present value/age ratio of Islay whisky, ouch…). Rating: 90/100
