Bruichladdich 'beres' all with this 2010 Bere Barley Scotch - a beauty of a bottling. I'll be honest, I bought this thing partly out of curiosity because I was sold on the research I had done on bere barley, which (if you didn't know) is an ancient cereal grain that has been grown on the British Isles - especially in Scotland - for centuries. In my collection is also the Organic and Islay Barley, so I figured, 'Hey, why not complete the set?' Of the three Bruichladdich experiments, I honestly think the Bere Barley is the best. Everything from the nose to the finish was so rich in aroma and flavour that made each anticipated sip all the more challenging yet satisfying. When I first nosed this Scotch, it reminded me of the Islay Barley or Bladnoch 10 with its warm, buttery and toffee notes; however, it then evolved into more Asian-influenced profiles (ie: Taro root and red bean on the nose, tapioca on the palate, and rice wine - much like sake - on the finish). For an 8 Year Old whisky, this is pretty darn good. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on one and are open to trying something different, I would highly recommend this (now) rare find. I trust the process, and I am sure there's a reason for this, but I only wonder how much better this Scotch could have been if it had spent a few extra years aging in the barrel. That said, having a pour from this bottle creates a bit of nostalgia for me. The barley was grown and harvested in 2009 in Orkey, then distilled in 2010 - the same year of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games where I was celebrating Team Canada winning the men's hockey gold medal! Good times, even better memories. I digress. Well done, Bruichladdich on another memorable dram! NOSE: Sultana, butter, toffee, oak, malt, dandelion, sandalwood, taro root, roasted red bean PALATE: Honey, tapioca, chrysanthemum, grass, nutmeg FINISH: Earthy tones, grass, rice wine, sea salt, malt, oak, coffee, chocolate Rating: 89/100 Grade: B+ Great - always want to have a bottle.