The Schtick: Distilled in 1990 and aged for 23 years, this is the 4.1 release of Bruichladdich’s Black Art – an enigmatic limited release from Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich. There isn’t a ton of info on the makeup of this release. Let’s dive in!
Disclosure: None – sample from a friend.
Review #2645 | Whiskey Review #984
Distiller: Bruichladdich
Bottler: Bruichladdich
Brand: Bruichladdich
Selection: None – General LTO Release
ABV: 49.2% ABV
Age: 23 Years
Nose: Rich and full of fruit – apples, pears, plum, fig and a hint of tropical fruit with big minerality, some light smoke, honey and fresh pastries. Rich and inviting.
Taste: Moderate palate, nice malt character with some light smoke, faint oak, some pepper, light peat, faint ash, big tropical fruit, custard and cream and a hint of fig. Nice balance here – there’s a lot going on and none of it too loudly.
Finish: Long finish, grilled peaches and vanilla cream meets a good deal of apple butter, cinnamon, malt and some light ashy smoke and minerality.
Overall: This reminds me of everything I’ve loved about Black Art – complexity and nuance ahead of brash, one-noted character. It’s a bit unique compared to day to day Bruichladdich and I love that. It’s also a far cry from the modern releases which I find less enjoyable than this. Ah, the good ol’ days. Really incredible stuff here.
Thanks for reading!
Rank: 8
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