The ninth in the Black Art series, the fifth from Head Distiller, Adam Hannet.
Like its island neighbour Bunnahabhain distillery, Bruichladdich has traditionally been an un-peated single malt, mostly owing to its requirements by the blenders who owned it.
The last of these was Whyte & Mackay, who eventually shut it down in 1995, deeming it surplus to requirements.
They sold the distillery to Murray McDavid in 2001, who launched the peated Port Charlotte and heavily-peated Octomore single malts in 2006 and 2008.
A recommissioned Lomond still also now produces the popular Botanist gin there.
Matured in unrivalled quality oak, this unpeated spirit’s recipe is held in absolute secret – as is customary with every Black Art edition before it.
What we do know about the 9th edition is that this is the most alchemic single malt is the oldest ever! This is the quintessential Black Art: Edition 09.1.
As per each Black Art release, only Adam knows the cask types used to create this mysterious dram.
Non chill filtered, no added colour and a release of 12,000 bottles.
Nose: Simply stunning. Tropical fruit, coconut, tobacco, oak spices and toasted pine needles weave an intricate web of aromas. With a bit of time, this beautiful whisky opens up to waves of mango, honey-drizzled melon, warm orange zest, grilled pineapple and ripe summer strawberries.
Palate: The viscosity and depth to this dram are out of this world; the oak notes of tobacco and brown sugar, chocolate and coconut provide the base for all those wonderful fruit combinations to shine.
Finish: The succulent fruit sweetness lasts for an age on the palate, apricot, mango and baked banana, toasted sweet oak, honey and vanilla – you just don’t want it to end.