Bruichladdich 10 Year old bottled 2001

This 10-year was released in 2001 and was one of the first bottlings marketed by the then new owners of Bruichladdich distillery. This of course means that the spirit used came from what was acquired from Whyte & Mackay – the spirit distilled by Jim McEwan and his team would only be ready much later. Interestingly, the label on the neck of the bottle reads “The Laddie”, so clearly this is a precursor of what Jim McEwan would release as “The Laddie Ten” in 2011.

The nose is floral and fruity with flavours of lemons and grapefruits coming up first. There is also quite a bit of salt, followed by a touch of vanilla.

The palate is medium-bodied and just a bit spicy. There are again floral flavours, followed by notes of cereal, vanilla, apples, and a bit of orange peel.

The finish is of medium length and dry. The lemon flavours are back, together with notes of white pepper and ginger.

This is a pretty uncomplicated malt that was easy to drink but lacks the depth that you might expect from a 10-year old. I am glad that I was able to taste and savour this but I would certainly not try to get another bottle.

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