Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2013

Apple tart - surprisngly sweet

Adding a couple drops of water completely changes this. I would not recommend it any other way. A really nice pour with those drops and 15 mins on the counter.

The nose has light fruits, apple & pear, vanilla, some leather. The palate is rich, fruity, heavily apple sauce, sweet, with some mild green tobacco leaf, and a bit of oak. It has a creamy texture. Overall I find the finish is very spicy, warm, and slighty sharp/tangy, with spice, cinnamon, and more cooked apple or pear. The finish is also very short. Water brings out massive pepper flavours and huge heat on the finish.

Nose: Ripe Apple, Pear, Vanilla, Malt Sweetness, Pepper, Honeysuckle, Floral notes, cookie dough. Palate: Malt Sugar, Umami, Vanilla, Apple, Light Honey, Full and Oily, sweet Peppery Finish. A wonderful bottle of whisky from Bruichladdich, and a unique expression of Islay whisky that is unpeated. Full, oily, rich, complex, lots of malt sweetness mixes with light fruits, pepper, and hints of honey. Long malt and saline finish. Much better than the classic laddie in my opinion. The difference in complexity comes down to age. Even though this has a strong spirit influence the few extra years spent in the barrel really helps make this whisky something special.

The nose is sun-dried hay. Oats and cereal. Hazelnuts. Sweet bread. Wild flowers and freshly dug turf. The arrival comes with tart pears, caramel, honey and vanilla. Grapes. White pepper. It tastes like a summers day.