I added a bottle of this to an international order back in the spring and I decided to open it because I have too many peated whiskies open at the moment, so I need something to balance things out. Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2008 is another release lauding the use of locally grown six-row barley from the Dunlossit Farm on Northern Islay. These guys love to advertise “terroir”, and this one fits the bill. Bere Barley is 9 year old whisky that was aged in ex-white oak casks and bottled at 50% abv. It’s pale yellow, oily and makes some very skinny legs in the taster. It’s non-chill filtered and has no added color. The nose was pretty closed off initially. I mean I literally got nothing for the first 5-10 minutes. Vanilla and sweet corn eventually came through, albeit still quite lightly. The oak casks are probably the most prominent aroma, even if you add a splash of water- which I did on subsequent tastings. The palate only really carried the sweet, candied corn as it’s one note swan song. There was some alcohol and ABV presence, but the sweetness carried the day- even with water. It was slightly hot, harsh and to the point. The finish was medium to long, again focusing on the corn. The mouthfeel stayed dry from beginning to end. A little water did wash some of the harshness out, but it only diluted the dram even more. Overall, this was a boring dram. If you’re an American bourbon fan or a enthusiastic corn whiskey drinker then this may hit your wheelhouse. The question is: why would you buy an $88 single malt to experience Scottish moonshine? The simple answer is that you wouldn’t. This malt is only for diehard Bruichladdich fans. I like their core stuff, but this is one I should’ve left out of my online cart. 2.75-3 stars and not worth the scratch. Look elsewhere.