Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009
In my last review I made the bold claim that Bruichladdich is currently producing the best whisky on Islay. Yep, better than the more famous south shore distilleries of Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg. Better than the underrated Caol Ila. Better even than the worthy adversary of Kilchoman. Bruichladdich does a little bit of everything and does it all extremely well. Looking for a classic style of heavily peated whisky? Bruichladdich’s got you covered. Looking for a massive powerhouse with ungodly amounts of peat? Yep, they’ve got that too. How about an unpeated, flavorsome, coastal dram? No problem, the Laddie does that with ease, it’s their signature style after all.
It’s not just that Bruichladdich makes multiple styles of whisky, it’s the fact that they make all of these styles so well. Although not necessarily a “craft” distillery (whatever that really means), the whisky itself certainly comes across as what craft whisky ought to be—full of unique character, distinctly its own, not just another whisky widget being produced by a corporate marketing firm, even if they are now owned by a spirits conglomerate.
For years now, Bruichladdich has been experimenting with using different types of barley from local farms and sources. These experiments have resulted in the Islay Barley series of releases found under not only the standard Bruichladdich label, but also the Port Charlotte and Octomore labels. Outside of Springbank, there aren’t many other distilleries experimenting with local barley varieties to the extent that Bruichladdich does. Judging by the excellent results between Bruichladdich and Springbank, I really hope more distilleries follow suit.
Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009 was distilled from barley grown exclusively on Islay from multiple farms and aged in American oak. The barley varieties used were Publican and Oxbridge (I’m not a barley expert, so those varieties don’t mean much to me other than to say that they are not the commonly used types of barley found in most distilleries). Distilled in 2009 and bottled in 2015, this malt is a rather young six years of age.
You have to love a distillery that’s willing to put a six year age statement on a single malt whisky in this day and age (and yes, the bottle does specifically state “aged 6 years”). Although we’ve seen a decent number of official expressions with an eight year age statement, usually once the age dips lower than eight it gets the NAS treatment (and Bruichladdich has been guilty of this practice too with their NAS Classic Laddie). But here there is no lack of boldness. This is a young whisky and proud of it. Let’s see how it tastes.
Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009 Review
Type: Single Malt Scotch
Region: Islay
Age: 6 years
ABV: 50%
Non chill-filtered
Natural color
Nose
Grassy, with notes of barley, hay, and lemongrass. Eucalyptus and menthol. Lavender. Berries. Beeswax. Oak. Coastal breeze.
Very pleasant, although in a somewhat strange way. Smells more like a nice room-filling candle—or maybe even a niche mens cologne or aftershave—than a consumable beverage. It’s intriguing and inviting, yet puzzling. I rather like it.
Palate
Caramel and butterscotch syrup. A nice nutty bit with honey and grain notes, reminding me of Honey Nut Cheerios. Vanilla. Malty and grassy. Quite a bit of fruit, especially berries—raspberries, blueberries, blackberries. Sweetened fruit tea. Lavender. Milk chocolate, and maybe a little white chocolate too. Candy shell like the outside of M&Ms. Although there are a lot of sweet notes, it’s really not overly sweet at all. A bit of oak and grassiness balance things out. If it were any sweeter it would be at risk of being too sweet, but thankfully it doesn’t quite fall off that sugary cliff. The mouthfeel is creamy, moderately thick, and a bit oily. Tasty stuff.
Finish
Medium to long in length and fairly sweet. Lingering honey and caramel sauce. Maple syrup. Fruity. Pineapple. Raspberries. Vanilla.
Overall
A thoroughly interesting and engaging malt that is mature beyond its years. It’s hard to believe this is only six years old, it seems much more mature. I detect absolutely zero notes of new make spirit, which is a bit uncommon for such a young malt. More proof that whisky doesn’t have to be old to be really good.
A fascinating nose, a balanced and delicious palate, and a nice, lingering finish, all done with character all its own… what more do you want in a whisky? A very good dram indeed.
SCORE: 7/10
Final Thoughts
Sipping this Bruichladdich makes me think of Springbank, one of the greatest distilleries in all of Scotland (and therefore, the world). Not because the taste profile is similar—Bruichladdich malts certainly don’t have that famous Springbank funk, and there are plenty of other differences too. Nonetheless, there is a rather interesting comparison to be made between Springbank and Bruichladdich. Both are single distilleries with three unique lines/brands of whisky—Springbank has Hazelburn, Longrow, and Springbank, while Bruichladdich has Port Charlotte, Octomore, and Bruichladdich. Both distilleries regularly release unique one-off and annual batch whiskies that are highly coveted by whisky fans. Both distilleries routinely bottle their whisky in “craft” presentations (NCF, no color added, and at least 46% ABV). And, as already mentioned, both distilleries are fond of experimenting with local barley and releasing the results in limited edition bottlings. You really could say that Bruichladdich is the Springbank of Islay, which probably explains why I like them so much.
Buying Advice: If you’re a fan of engaging and characterful malt whisky (and who isn’t?), then Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2009 is a no brainer. It’s unique, reasonably priced (about $60-70), and represents good value for money in the current whisky environment. Although there are newer versions of the Islay Barley series, the 2009 is still readily available in the US (or at least it is around me).
Questions about my scoring system? Refer to the Review Method & Scoring Scale page.
For more reviews, check out the Whisky Review Archive.
