Bruichladdich compares and contrasts

Written by Claire Weekes

Thursday, 14 August 2008

Bruichladdich has released two bottlings of the same vintage to compare and contrast.

In July 1998, identically distilled whisky was filled in to Sherry casks for full term maturation. Recent tastings proved that unexpectedly two types of casks were used.

One cask type had contained Olorosso, a dark, sweet, fortified wine, the backbone of ‘cream' sherry. The other Manzanilla, a pale, dry, sophisticated wine aged by the Atlantic .

Having absorbed the respective wines' characteristics, the wood has then influenced the maturing whisky, resulting in two different versions from identical original spirit.

Unusually, the casks of the Manzanilla appellation ‘breath' the prevailing maritime breezes, imparting a crisp freshness to the wine, hence the name meaning "little apple".

MD Mark Reynier says: "The result is an intriguing comparison: one DNA, one vintage, one warehouse - but two distinct and intriguing expressions of Bruichladdich single malt."

"Usually Sherry casks implies a nutty sweetness leached out of the wood into the whisky. Delightful when well balanced, but often clumsily over-stated. This is the real deal."

"To contrast, we have a ‘double Atlantic' whisky: Manzanilla is world famous for it's marine influenced style; we have exactly the same effect here on Islay - 1,400 miles further north."