Bruichladdich is known for the most heavily peated scotch you can find, but its core whisky, the Classic Laddie, is actually unpeated. Now, more than two decades after it reopened, the distillery is releasing its first 18 year-old expressions as part of its high-end "Redefined" lineup with a classic bourbon matured malt. 50% Alc./Vol.

Octomore seems to be getting a second wind of popularity - not that it was ever unpopular. Added to that is a sense of scarcity with allocations becoming smaller every year. 12.2 is no exception. The .2s in the series are known to showcase the impact of different wine barrels on the heavily peated Islay whisky. Distilled in the winter of 2015 from 100% Scottish grown Concerto barley, 12.2 weighs in at 129.7ppm and was matured in ex-Bourbon barrels, followed by 18 months in rare first-fill Sauternes casks. Knowing how well 'sweet & peat' can work, it's destined to be one of the more desirable editions to date. Bottled at cask strength, expect something sweet-ish with a salty edge, lots of earthy peat, sweet bonfire smoke plus hints of maritime complexity. 57.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Very limited stocks .

While some prefer Port Charlotte, you have to admit Octomore is rarely ever boring. We're now into the lucky thirteens of what is arguably the most heavily peated whisky in regular production. There are three variants on offer in this batch. 13.1 is a 5 year old (as usual), bourbon-barreled, and peated to 137.8ppm of phenols. Distilled in 2016 from a 2015 harvest, like all the other .1 editions, it's made using Scottish mainland barley. 59.2% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

Bruichladdich Port Charlotte PC8 Ar Dùthchas Cask Strength Single Malt Islay Whisky has the colour of Chartreuse sunshine. An updraft of sea spray and peat smoke greets you with spicy pepper and lemon aromas all exploding simultaneously. Spindrift on canvas sails with a tailwind of heather and myrtle. Then the sweetness of oak and malted barley burst through bringing calm for a while before you are swept onto the next wave. Viscous, rich and oily. Peat fire flavours and the mellow rich taste of sweet, oaky Demerara sugar toddy. Waves of Islay wash over the palate. An original Islay darm, unlike any other. Dreams come true and desires fulfilled! This prodigy of Islay’s west coast clearly shows that coastal maturation is THE key element as waves of marine notes add the vital spark to the oak sweetness of the spirit.

Bruichladdich's Islay barley series has always been a mission for them. Throughout the years, they have sought to showcase the the phenomenon of terroir in single malt whisky. The believe climate, micro-climate, soil, geographic orientation, local weather systems, and natural influences can and will influence the flavour profile and quality of their spirit. Showcasing their commitment to barley provenance, this Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2013 is the eighth edition of unpeated, locally grown single malt. Fully traceable and high provenance with honeyed porridge and lemon meringue pie notes, it evokes a true sense of place. The crop was raised across seven island farms, by Hunter Jackson at Cruach, Andrew and Donald Jones at Coull, Mark French at Rockside, Ian McKerrell at Island, Alistair Torrance at Mulindry, Raymond Fletcher at Dunlossit and Raymond Stewart at Sunderland. The resulting spirit was matured in a combination of 75% ex-American and 25% ex-European oak casks for eight aged years. On the nose the freshness and purity of the spirit is striking. A kaleidoscope of vibrant aromas pour from the glass. First, citrus and honey notes emerge before stoned fruit, dried apricot, and the perfume of ripe peaches. Sweet notes of marzipan, yellow flowers and vanilla pods are followed by zephyrs of spice, cereal, and marine breeze. Over time the oak notes elevate as the vanilla, Crème-Brulee, caramel and wood spices come to the fore. Then gentle hints of cinnamon and ginger cake and syrup add to the anticipation of tasting. On the palate oak cradles the soft fruit distillation beautifully. The delicate sweetness and luscious texture are like velvet on the palate. The balance of those sweet ripe stoned fruit flavours with the vanilla, caramel and brown sugar notes of the oak is perfect. This vintage of Islay barley is bottled at just the right moment to capture the essence of our island. Add a touch of water and watch as the natural oils react in the glass releasing wonderful floral notes of hawthorn and heather to add to the complexity and depth of this remarkable single malt. The finish is a testament to the quality of distillation. The subtle marine tang paired with the sweet citrus and honeyed oaked notes tells the story of our whisky and where it comes from. Natural whisky with no chill filtration means you will experience a long and gentle a finish, and in this case-unforgettable. Taking your time to explore this dram will not leave you disappointed, the wonderful, complexity and honesty of this whisky is a joy to behold, its purity and freshness, its delicate oak sweetness and expression of fruit and gentle floral tones make it a vintage to remember. In fact, it may well be unforgettable.

Note: The Octomore range often arrive in to our store suffering from minor damage in transit. This is out of our control. When we dispatch to you we will re-pack to avoid further damage in transit but you should allow for possible dents and scratches to the metal tins. This is the missing link in the Octomore 13 triptych, arriving later than the other two. Matured full-term in first-fill Fernando dè Castilla Oloroso Sherry butts and peated at a generous 137.3 PPM, the sherry influence is said to work a treat, complementing the smoke and vibrancy of the young malt. Says Head Distiller, Adam Hannett, “There’s a beautiful influence from the full-term maturation in these first fill Oloroso sherry butts. They’ve matured in the dunnage warehouses in the village of Port Charlotte, and the combination of cask and a slow and cold maturation has really accentuated the salty tang of the spirit. ” 58.3% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered. Notes from the producers... There is a wonderful viscosity and presence on the palate. Notes of smoked nuts and leather, warm orange marmalade on fresh scones. Dried apricot and hints of peppery spice toward the finish. Earthy peat smoke comes to the fore with a little time, along with the fruit and nutty aromatics of the oloroso casks. A salty tang of sea breeze creates a lively combination of flavours to finish.

Distilled in 2016 using 100% Islay barley, harvested in 2015 and peated to a whopping 129.3ppm, 13.3 offers a slight shift on the usual approach which is typically Bourbon only, this time being aged in a combination of first-fill ex-American whiskey casks and second-fill European oak casks from Rivesaltes, France, and Ribero del Duero, Spain. The total maturation was five years. 61.1% Alc./Vol. Non chill filtered.

The 2022 limited edition of Bruichladdich's Black Art was distilled using unpeated barley, before the distillery shut down in the mid-nineties, only to re-open in 2001. As with past releases, there's no information on what type of casks make up the maturation, so it could be anything. That doesn't seem to put off collectors who are hooked on the series. It's the tenth instalment and the sixth to have been overseen by Adam Hannett as Master Distiller. 45.1% Alc./Vol. Notes from the producer... Nose: Warm and inviting, a bright fruity note welcomes you. the fragrant toasted oak brings chocolate praline, cedar, leather, and subtle hints of clove and nutmeg, before moving to fruit notes of sweet apricot jam, ripe melon, dark cherries and blackcurrants. there is a light touch of citrus with lemon zest and gooseberries dipped in honey, with delicate floral notes of geranium and honeysuckle balanced with a hint of iodine and leather. Palate: Orange barley sugars, ginger nut biscuits, and lemon meringue pie are followed by sweet apricot jam and marzipan. The toasted oak brings smooth chocolate and vanilla notes, beautifully complemented with syrupy fruit, raisins, plum, and melon. Over time, iodine and a hint of coconut come through, with delicate oak spices of warming ginger and cinnamon. A velvet texture, the depth and balance of this single malt glides across the palate. Finish: Tablet and smooth fudge bring a softness to the finish, while ripe soft fruits, subtle tobacco, and a hint of ginger linger.

"Very high quality & teasingly complex peated malt." 95 points - Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2022 If your single malt selections are dictated by budget constraints, this will be a no brainer (so long as you don't mind a bit of peat). Conceived in 2006, Bruichladdich revived the Port Charlotte label from the Lochindaal distillery, operational between 1829 to 1929, two miles south in the town of Port Charlotte. Historical accounts from legendary British documentarian Alfred Barnard knew Lochindaal to produce only heavily peated malts, so the PC style is a replica of sorts. It started as 'PC5' with yearly follow-ups culminating in this general release 10 year old. Delivering a knock-out mix of lanolin, smouldering pine, butter menthol and vanilla cream that even the peat shy will fall for, it's superbly integrated, zesty, complex - and incredibly, at 40ppm the peat is not overbearing; Perfumed aromatics and a 50% ABV attack include Fisherman’s Friend lozenge, farmyard, dried grass and butterscotch as well as lanolin, oatmeal biscuit and chimney soot, followed by a finish that's delicately salty with dusty cocoa and hints of black tea. Both affordable and unanimously praised, it's one of those rare malts you can't fail to be impressed by. Matured predominantly in first-fill American oak casks, along with second-fill American and second-fill French wine casks, it comes bottled non chill filtered. 50% Alc./Vol. [2016 edition tasted].