Port Charlotte 18 Year (2024 Release)

Absolutely excellent - wonderfully rich fruit flavors from the sherry aging that balance the spice of the peaty essences, creating a near-perfect scotch whisky. The 108.6 proof is delightful as well, and this dram really shines in the fall and winter - a cozy profile to the palate. Fairly rare for the 2024 version, as there were only 6000 bottles.

Nose: Notes of dried fruits, figs, sweet raisins, followed by a subtle smoke and oak. Taste : Sweet fruits, spices, citrus, toffee, and honey with a hint of gentle smoke. Finish: Characterized by spicy spices, smoke, leather, and salty nuts.

Smooth, smokey, peat, oak

I think this does best with a little water. Without, it seems like it's too tightly wound, and a little hard to pick apart the notes. With a splash of water and some time to open up, the nose is berries, vanilla custard, barbecue smoke, slight iodine, aged cheese, leather. The palate is creamy custard with blackberry, balanced with sweet smoke. Citrus fruit, a little peppery spice, leather, dark chocolate. I purchased before any reviews had come out because I knew it would be good -- I've enjoyed everything I've tried from Bruichladdich. The question was just how good. I've had a couple pours now a couple weeks apart, and I think it's very good to great. It's not an instant favorite as I thought it could be, but I'm definitely glad to have a bottle to see how it evolves.

6000 bottles, mostly refilled sherry with a french oak refilled wine cask. Interesting. Always - these are neck pour reviews. Nose - Oh this is layered. Opening is sweet vanilla with red fruits. Digging deeper you get raspberry gasoline notes. Some hints of confectioner sugar. Clean smoke and touches of salinity. Taste - So lets just start, absurdly great mouth feel and just overall flavor! I get mixes of red fruits, cheese cake, rich smoke, savory meats. The mix of slightly acidic charred beef tips with red fruits is interesting. It's an interesting mix of cask flavors coming from those odd wine casks they used. OK - off a neck and first time with this. This is great. Price is 180 pounds I think...I think I paid a bit more given the 6000 bottles. Shipped and what not was about 300 for me lets say. I think this is a pretty decent buy. Not a must buy but it's good. I'm going to give this a 3.5, but I could go higher. Hoping this will open up a bit to make it better.