"So guys, I visited a distillery that will sell us a cask of scotch for $2300.00 CDN."
Within hours there were four replies of: "I'm in." It took only another week for us to order our cask from Bruichladdich, and by May 4th, 2004, we had our fresh hogshead filled with lightly peated Laddie. Now fresh hoggies are about as rare hen's teeth these days, so I can now appreciate the wisdom of our decision. All in all, we expect to bottle around 65 bottles each...I know, what are we going to to with all that?! Truth be told, we may sell some back to the distillery, and gift a lot of it to friends and family.
At six years of age, Cask 66 - awesome number, I know - is approaching the latter half of its maturation in the warehouse. This means that in a year or two we will have to make a trip to Islay to sample the cask. This is, in fact, the project that really propelled my malt obsession to the next level, and subsequently brought me into the Malt Maniacs' fold. I was determined to hone my palate for the day when it would finally meet the nectar in our cask and be prepared to evaluate it properly.
Being a fresh sherry hoggie with 10 years of maturation, you can already guess that this is going to be a sherry bomb, something along the lines of an A'bunadh or a Macallan. To really shake things up, I've contacted another Laddie owner to arrange to exchange bottles in order to do a vatting which would still be a single malt! We'll see how that turns out.
By far the best part of this project has been the anticipation, the group anticipation! We 're five guys who went to Queen's University at Kingston and have shared a lot of ups and downs. Some of us have survived car accidents, almost donated organs, lost loved-ones, and saved lives since those heady care-free uni-days. Most importantly, we are all family men now, but we still stay in touch. And we await, with much impatience, the day when we will all be standing in front of our cask sampling our malt, together.
Check out the following tasting notes from Bruichladdich:
Bruichladdich, 1989 Full Strength, OB, 57.1% ABV, First Edition
Colour: gold Nose: Starts of a little grainy and spirity. Proceeds to display some pronounced vanilla and bourbon aromas. Some organics emerge. With water: Some traditional melon, but with some ash emerging. The cereal presents itself like a fresh kneaded dough. A distinct sulfur note, like a lit match just put out, sweetish, appetizing. Palate: Nicely balanced! Not too sweet despite the bourbon ageing. The traditional melon and aniseed are evident. Even a slight hint of peat at the very end. The mouthfeel is slightly oily, but light in nature. The vanilla is there, but not too overpowering. So this is what a non-aced Laddie is like (Old owners that is)! Finish: Not too long, not too short. Finishes on a bit of aniseed, sulfur, a little drying. A slightly bitter note at the end. Comments: Some feel that Laddies are just blend fodder...I beg to differ. Although not hugely complex, this is clean and straighforward. Too bad it's not available in Canada! 83 pts
Ressurection, 2001, 46% ABV
Colour: Pale gold Nose: out of the gate with some gentle peat and tarry notes. Really reminds me of the Lappy QC. A whiff of mint. Some firm matly notes. Water brings out some more spirity youthful notes out. Something sweet and vanilla-like emerges, as well as a floral note. Palate: Very sweet. Attack at the front of the palate as expected. Some brine at the sides. Beautiful interplay between peat and sweet notes. Something honeyed or tobacco like emerges. Strange, does not have that characteristic melon and aniseed notes that the OLD Laddies seem to all share. Pretty well balanced, but the brine seems to have the upper hand at this point, but not in a negative way...very maritime. The peat smoke is there just enough to give it some chewiness.
Finish: Long for a seven year old. Finishes on smoke, brine, and tobacco. 84 pts
Infinity 3 - Bruichladdich, 50% ABV
Colour: amber/gold/peach Nose: vanilla, heathery, iodine, peat, menthol, red apples, musty books. Palate: Sweet, vanilla, chalk, spicy mid-front palate, apples peat, smoky, iodine, mint, ashes, anise. Finish, long, spicy, peaty, ashes...almost reminds me of Lagavulin 12 yo. 85 points.
Laddie Classic, Edition #1, 46% ABV
Colour: gold Nose: farmy, linseed, candle wax, sherry, almond, light amaretto, oranges, allspice, nutmeg, cake icing. Palate: thinner, dry, cinnamon, raisins, spice all over, hint of smoke, malty. Finish: long on honey, malt, and spices. 83 points.
WMD II: The Yellow Submarine, 46% ABV
Colour: Gold with slight copper burnish, reminiscent of a peach wine. Nose: Fruit, at a distance raspberry or strawberry. Later on a sort of malty ripe melon. Lots of vanilla and liquorice. Palate: Mouth warming, a little spirity but in a fresh way. Very sweet with the fruit up front, perhaps a little winey as well but not a bad thing, followed by vanilla and liquorice. Pepper and spice continues on for a long time, good balance. Finish: End on notes of grapes, fruit, and liquorice. Definitely a spring or summer dram. Comments: This was my first 100$+ purchase and my friend Curtiss and I enjoyed it after his College of Physicians and Surgeons final exam. Lovely. 87pts
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