Bruichladdich (from the Gaelic for “raised beach”) stands on the opposite shore of Loch Indaal from our beloved Bowmore.
Established by the Harvey family in 1881, the distillery has changed hands more often than most on the island and counts a group of Americans, whisky traders from Glasgow, Invergordon Distillers Ltd and Jim Beam Brands among its previous owners. Mothballed from 1929 to 1937 and then again in 1994, Bruichladdich was brought back to life in 2001 by Murray McDavid who completely remodelled the distillery.
A basket of summer fruit (melon, white peach, juicy pears). Hawthorn flowers. Honey and almond milk. A delicate marine note brings in a fresh hint of wet sand and seashells. Lingering dry spicy finish.
Lightly peated
Peat is a partially carbonized vegetable tissue formed by partial decomposition in water of various plants, usually mosses, found in bogs. Peat is used as fertilizer and fuel. The peat bogs on Islay contain marine elements (pebbles, seaweed, shells).
Peat releases smoky aromas - smoke, soot, tar, TCP... but only when burnt. On Islay, peat is often used as fuel to dry malted barley - giving Islay whiskies their distinctive aromas which range from earth to smoke, from tar to seaweeds, from bonfire to soot.
Martine Nouet, a French journalist and whisky writer known as "The Queen of the Still" in the whisky industry, was carried away by Islay fragrances when she first visited the island 20 years ago. She now lives on Islay, delighted to breathe in the wonderful flavours reflected in Islay’s whiskies among Earth, Air, Fire and Water.