Spirit Type: Scotland Whisky
Country: Scotland
ABV: 50%
Bottle Size: 70cl
Description:
Port Charlotte Scottish Barley is a heavily peated whiskey from Bruichladdich distillery usually known for unpeated whiskies. If you don’t count Bruichladdich’s über peated range called Octomore. Their Port Charlotte range is so widespread nowadays that you can forget the statement “Islay’s non-peated distillery,” which was widely used not so long ago.
Port Charlotte Scottish Barley indeed is heavily peated; it has a peat level of 40 ppm. All the casks have been hand-picked by the Head Distiller Adam Hannett, just like they were picked by Jim McEwan when he was running the place. This dram has been trickle distilled.
Colour: Pale amber
Nose: Heavy peated smoke starts the show, but smoke fades away rather quickly. Grapefruits, hints of juniper, and lots of gin feel. Hints of sugary barley and green fruits.
Taste: Heavy oak and burning coal. Very earthy and green, grassy and bit fruity with green fruits. Phenolic peat hits hard. Toffee and barley rise from the back.
Finish: Nicely oily with bitter peat and spices. Bit dry and grassy, with malty notes.
Balance: Young roughness is very much present, but then again, when given time, Port Charlotte Scottish Barley starts to give pleasant aromas and taste. There is some complexity, but especially the finish is a bit one-sided. Still, good peated dram. Vibrant and fresh as always from Bruichladdich distillery.
This has received a Silver in International Spirits Challenge.