Have you ever heard of squat hogsheads? Me neither. I’ve no idea what they exactly are or look like. Also, do they have the same volume as a regular hogshead? Leave a comment if you know!
Either way, the latest release in Bruichladdich’s Rare Cask Series has matured in these so-called squat hogsheads, alongside regular re-fill hogsheads. It’s a 30-year-old whisky distilled in 1988 and limited to 6,000 bottles.
It’s also frighteningly expensive, so much so that isn’t even mentioned on the company website. You have to contact the distillery, at which point they’ll tell you it’s 750 quid. I was very generously sent a sample by Bruichladdich, otherwise I probably would’ve never been able to taste this.
Bruichladdich 1988 30 Years (46.2%, OB, 6,000 bts.)
Nose: Lemon zest and floral notes (violets), as well as elderflower. There’s room for orchard fruits as well, mainly thick slices of ripe apple, but then there’s a hint of peach as well as orange ice cream. Finally a touch of sweet honey syrup.
Taste: Nice fruity, old-style whisky with a decent mouthfeel. Lemon, grapefruit, oranges, but also mango and a distinct maltiness. High-quality. Hints of eucalyptus and icing. Very agreeable.
Finish: More of the same. Medium to long.
Score: 91
Absolutely lovely stuff with a palate that is very rich, especially compared to the fairly delicate aromas on the nose. The fruitiness is what pushes it to the 91-point barrier.
Stay tuned, because this Wednesday I’ll review the new Bruichladdich Black Art 7.1!
Sample provided by Bruichladdich
