Tastes

It wasn't bad, but I was disappointed due to the price point. First smelled blueberry on the nose, then other dark fruits, some cocoa, and bubble gum. Palate was strong oak - a little too much - and dark chocolate bitterness. Not much complexity. Very straight forward. Short bitter finish.

Someone during the tasting mentioned coconut butter sun tan lotion, and that is very prominent in the nose with additional spice. Also a good bit of honey and hay. Enjoyable dram.

The Yin/Yang of Whisky's - no other way to describe it. It's perfectly balanced between sweet and smoky, fruit and oak, rich and light, spicy yet approachable. Nothing dominates - there are only accentuations of each flavor that make this a wonder of the whisky world. I rarely give 5 star ratings, but I can't not on this one. Tasted neat at Easy Bistro - Chattanooga, TN.

For me, 4 drops of water really opens this bourbon up. Also, months of sitting on the shelf seemed to benefit as well. It is very rich and sweet, but it has that perfect bourbon profile. There's a figginess coated in caramel, syrup, and spice (sometimes even sweet tea - but not that artificial flavor.) The heat actually helps to keep the sweetness from being too much. Best enjoyed in small sips. A fantastic and affordable barrel proof. Looking forward to trying other batches.

Almost identical to my tasting of the Barley 2009. The nose and palate are sweeter, which to me, makes the finish a little shorter. Prefer the other, but this isn't bad. I love the 100 proof consistency in the Bruichladdich lineup. You don't see many Scotch distilleries allowing the heat to add to their whisky's.

Finally got to try this tonight in a Glencairn. Very impressed. It's the classic bourbon profile you always want in your cabinet. Sweet (almost maple syrup-y) nose with some heat. Palate is oak and vanilla with the perfect spice/cinnamon Kentucky hug. The finish keeps bringing you back for more. This is one of those whiskeys that's the taste of good memories with family and friends. Once I bought my own bottle, I found that it takes a few months for this to truly open up and shine.

My first Bruichladdich whisky. Surprised by the initial heat on the tongue. Reminded me of tasting something with a high rye mashbill. The nose was sugar cookies with hints of citrus. Unpeated, but the classic Islay smoke and brine is present, yet not too overpowering. My favorite thing was the full, oily texture. Loved that the barley used was locally grown. You don't get any closer to a place than tasting it.

Randomly found a bottle at retail and after trying it 3 times, I'm just not a fan. It's not a bad bourbon in any sense, but it's not worth the price and is highly overrated. Very light, a bit peppery, with a short finish. Not much complexity for the typical price point you have to pay. I think I'll leave Elmer to others.

Starting to see these disappear now. Hopefully they'll do another limited release that's similar. Incredible bargain for a non-chill filtered 5-6 yr bourbon. Has the Beam profile but with more character - cherry vanilla, some peanut, spiced apple, and full texture. Buy it when you see it before it's all gone.