Bruichladdich Black Art 1990 06.1 Edition 26 Year

Nose- Peaches in syrup; strawberries; vanilla; gingerbread; almonds; dark chocolate; coconut Palate- Initial wave of green apples; icing sugar; mangoes; earthy spice; sea salt; walnuts; hazelnuts; sherry sweetness Finish- Long, creamy finish; Coconuts; sea spray; dark chocolate; tropical fruits Man. Black arts never disappoints. My only complaint is that it’s not the most complex and mysterious dram in the world. Compared to the 4.1, the “mystery” just isn’t there. Still, this has an incredible nose, the palate is fantastic, and the finish is long and enjoyable. Loads of fresh berries and tropical fruits throughout, with hints of nuts and sherry as well. I don’t get much oak, which saddens me for a 26 year old. All in all, great dram, but could be better in a couple areas

This is a unique experience. It's very rich with smoke, but also sweet with apricot and toffee. For an unpeated whiskey, the richness is impressive. Not as strong as Laphroaig, but that's both fine and reasonable. The finish is delightful in it's perfect balance, which is a feat that only the best drinks manage. The nose is rich, smoky, and fruity with caramel in a great scotch manner. There is some rich chocolate in here, that is mixed with numerous other flavors. The spices are varied and hard to place. The little bit of stale bread that is present is rises up briefly and then fades into the tapestry of other flavors that make this drink a delight. The complexity is thorough and it dances well with the richness. The marriage of flavors is impressive. The fruitiness is varied and delightful, but combined with the smoke, wood, and other flavors it comes out balanced and delightful. There's a little bit of that coconut flavor that indicates age in here. The drink might be a bit mild for its age, but all of the flavors are great or better. It's sort of like Highland Park 18 meets Highland Park Valkyrie meets Glenmorangie Nectar D'Or meets Bushmill's 21. It's really good. Smoke, sea spray, salt, sweetness. There is some citrus fruit that tends toward the astringent side and there are also some minerals. Caramel comes through too with cocoa and and coffee. There are ginger, cinnamon, and clove hints to it but they don't make it terribly spicy. There's a ton of complexity in here but is it really worth the price? The nose is mellow and rounded with definite smokiness and sea spray. The palate has a bit of mineral, but it isn't too bad. The sea and smokiness come out immediately, but there is something rich and mellow backing them. There's a little bit of odd soapiness going on here that reminds me of orange and tangerine with with a spicy bitter burn. The flavor is very good with tons of complexity, but the soap is a bit much. A bigger sip bring sour some nice red fruit flavors like plum and a smaller bit of cherry, as well as hints of almond skins and pecan. The rich bitterness is tasty but it's a bit much and does not quite have the strength to suggest a 26 year drink (it's more int the 21 year range). This is reminiscent of a sweeter Glenfarclas 25, but it isn't quite as good and costs a ton more.

No water Very sweet on the nose, hardly any ethanol Dark fruit is obvious on the taste Something else is presenting, maybe sherry cask? A very easy sip, delicious, a definite buy