islay_emissary
Bruichladdich Black Art 1992 05.1 Edition 24 Year
Single Malt — Islay, Scotland
Reviewed
April 21, 2020 (edited February 16, 2024)
This Black Art 5.1 sample was sent to me a couple years ago by my friend and whisky guru @LeeEvolved. I had actually sampled the 4.1 version a bit earlier at Norfolk Wine & Spirits. My first blush reaction at that time was a whisky easily in the 4-star category, but Octomore wowed me more that day and was my eventual purchase. This expensive 24yo expression is made with lightly peated barley and much different than the heavily peated malt used for its Port Charlotte and Octomore brethren. My fascination with Bruichladdich is their ability to create this diverse range of whiskies using the same stills, two of which (wash) date back to 1881 when the distillery first opened. Their Octomore 8.3 release boasts the highest ppm count (smokiness) of any single malt on the market at 309 ppm, yet most agree it seems less smoky than their Port Charlotte expressions that average just 40-50 ppm. How can this be? Well, Andrew Jefford, and his book, Whisky Island: A Portrait of Islay and its Whiskies, gives us some insight into this mystery. We know that phenols are measured and advertised prior to distillation, but Jefford also learned their counts after distillation. He quotes these numbers at 20-25 ppm (estimated) for Port Charlotte and 46.4 ppm for Octomore during the 2003 season. Obviously, this is a closer comparison, but how does distillation alone take Octomore’s triple digit number down by this goodly amount. Let’s have a look. The distillery uses very tall plain-pot stills (6 meters) with long thin necks. This promotes refluxing or the capturing and returning of alcoholic toxins/volatiles back into the wash or spirit. A still’s lyne arm design can also be a factor. A rising arm (Ardbeg, Bowmore, & Laphroaig) also promotes refluxing. Bruichladdich’s stills utilizes a lyne arm that descends gently. Also, the size of the charge into the still is important. A smaller charge or fill amount means more copper contact for toxin elimination if the desire is to create a lighter, more elegant spirit. Coal Ila, for example, uses the smallest charge on Islay at 37 to 41% of fill capacity. Foreshots (heads) and aftershots (feints) contain the most undesirable components (congeners), where the middle cut contains the most desirable or good congeners. The amount of time spent at these cut points varies widely and can dictate a lighter, elegant versus a rich, oily, and more pungent style of spirit. In addition to all of this, Bruichladdich’s condensers are supposedly the biggest on Islay (2 tons each) and this could be their magic bullet. They each contain 210 one inch tubes, which means lots of copper contact. Also, the recovery temperature inside the condenser can be regulated. A higher temperature means slower condensation time and more copper contact for volatile extraction. Bruichladdich’s distillation configuration gives them a lot of flexibility as evidenced by the variety of distinct whisky styles they produce. This 24yo Black Art 5.1 comes rolling in at 48.4% ABV. Little is known about the cask types, but most guess at a mix of ex-bourbon and ex-wine. This seems confirmed by a fruity and robust nose, accompanied by vanilla toffee, toasted almonds and malt. The palate is sweet, rich and peppery. It then turns vermouth-like, drying into a resinous oak, malt and spicy finish. A very complex and delightful dram, indeed. A solid 4.25 stars. Thanks Lee!
400.0
USD
per
Bottle
Create Account
or
Sign in
to comment on this review
*Scrolls down through comments* Oh, no, @Slainte-Mhath and @LeeEvolved had CoViD?! I'm seriously late in saying this, but I'm so sorry you caught it and so so glad that you both recovered! I hope that the two of you are still doing well and that you don't suffer any lasting health problems from it.
Fantastic information! It's amazing that you were able to find so much information about Bruichladdich's stills and pull it together here to explain the flavor profiles of their distillates!
@Rick_M @Slainte-Mhath and if they haven’t gone down now during these times, they probably won’t anytime in the near future
@Slainte-Mhath - a few years ago, I wouldn’t buy because I thought too expensive. The way prices have gone up on 20+ year old whiskies, doesn’t seem that far out of line anymore.
@Rick_M I've been steadily enjoying this malt over the last months, and it is one of my wife's favorites. When I first heard about Black Art, I though that it was NAS and dismissed it, until I realized that it carries an impressive age statement.
@Slainte-Mhath - great info, thanks for sharing!
@LeeEvolved Oh no. Sorry to hear that but very happy you are back with us.
@LeeEvolved That story sounds all too familiar. Horrible disease, and there was a point where I wasn't sure if I would make it when I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't breath properly. One advice: Check your blood pressure in the next few weeks! Mine spiked up from normal to about 150/95 around 4 weeks after symptom onset, and I have a very nasty tinnitus ever since. Many people get a stroke or heart attack after recovery. The virus enters the host cell through the same receptor that is involved in regulating blood pressure, and this can turn out dangerous if you are on the edge of hypertension. During the infection, blood pressure falls and some even get hypotension, then it goes through the roof. Be careful with alcohol in that time, I wasn't and still regret it!
@LeeEvolved Dang Lee, well I’m simultaneously immensely glad you’re on the road to recovery and super bummed you had to endure a tragic last few weeks. You definitely deserve that expensive bottle and another one after that and another. Stay well brother
@LeeEvolved - congratulations on a successful recover, and sorry for the pain you had to endure. See, if you can survive covid-19, then a plane to Scotland will seem like a hop, skip, and a jump. Welcome back, man!
@LeeEvolved holy crap! I’m so sorry to hear that. I’m glad you came out the other side. That now makes you and @Slainte-Mhath that caught it, and thankfully made it through.
I’m glad you were able to enjoy this sample- I remember it being a highlight from the hotel room whisky sampling prior to Whiskyfest DC back in 2018. I’m considering myself very fortunate as I have slowly clawed my way back to the land of the living after battling the Covid 19 infection. I caught the disease around 4/12-4/13 and just reached my third consecutive day without a fever on 4/30. I also enjoyed an ambulance ride and ER trip during my illness. This has been the scariest time of my life, as there were multiple occasions where I wasn’t sure I was going to see the sunrise the next morning. This disease is no joke- please adhere to every safety precaution you can take for you and your loved ones. That said, once I regain full taste and smell, I feel like I need to open a very expensive bottle and celebrate the fact I’m still walking this earth. Here’s to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Cheers, my friends.
@PBMichiganWolverine - don’t feel bad, by the time Friday rolls around, I’ll have forgotten everything as well. :) @Soba45 @jonwilkinson7309 - Thanks guys!
Great review and great info. I'm definitely going to pick up the Jefford book
I feel a few brain cells smarter after reading this. No worries though, those few will be killed off this Friday over a pour.
Nice review and good research!