Bruichladdich Black Art 1990 04.1 Edition 23 Year

The taste changes with every sip as the whisky oxidizes. One sip you swear you're tasting raisin, plum, sauteurnes wine, the next tropical fruit and exotic spices. Endless procession of tastes and smells.

Nose: blueberry, peaches and cream, honey, toasted bread, tropical sea breezes, lemon zest. Taste: sweet honey, citrus, salt and pepper, cinnamon rolls. Experience: walking through a open air market on a chilly spring morning, sweet and zesty smells fill the airwith just a pinch of salt, if you stand directly in the sun you can feel it's warmth through the bisk air. Everything is alive and starting a new constantly changing as the day goes on. Final thoughts: I usually say no whiskey is "worth" more that $100 meaning that you can usually find something comparable to anything beyond that for less. (~$70 is the sweet spot). However, there is nothing like Black Art and it is one of the only whiskeys I would say is "worth" the money at this price. It is a fantastic bottle that is just as complex as it is enjoyable. A rare find but if you happen on it, I'd snag it. *This is from the old distiller. I've had the newer releases, and while they are still fantastic they are not quite "magical" for what that's worth. Still a solid choice if you have the cash.

I’m a fan of all things Islay, and especially the work of Jim McEwan at Bruichladdich. This is no exception. I love peat and even though this is unpeated, the smoky notes you’d expect in an Islay still pull through. Color: Deep copper. Nice legs, a little oily Nose: Stone fruit, cinnamon, clove, and red wine. Really complex bouquet, seems to shift with each sip Palate: Smooth as butter. Baking spices (nutmeg and anise mostly) are there at first. They give way to smoke, pear, and sherry. That quickly drops away for spicy chocolate and fresh cracked black pepper. Finish: Again, super smooth. Fresh baked pear and cinnamon linger for a while. Fantastic scotch all around, quite possibly the best I’ve had. It really is magic in a bottle.

Tropical notes, honey, coconut, heavy oak finish lasts a long time. Delicious!

Absolutely outstanding.