Bruichladdich is a scotch distillery that is famous for making two very different kinds of whisky: really, really smoky (its Octomore lineup) and totally smoke-free (the core Classic Laddie expression). Of course, there is some variation in between those two extremes, but even the distillery’s Port Charlotte lineup is considered to be heavily peated, and such is the case with the newest entry in the Cask Exploration series—a smoky whisky finished in wine barrels.
Bruichladdich has been around in one form or another since 1881, although it has gone through periods of shutdown over the years. The latest closure occurred in 1994, and that one lasted for seven years before it reopened in 2001 and began making whisky again, some of which was now produced from local Islay barley. Remy Cointreau acquired the distillery in 2012, and in 2020 it became the first scotch whisky company to achieve B Corp certification. Along the way, it’s been making the whiskies mentioned above, with the Port Charlotte lineup consisting of heavily peated single malts at 40 parts per million (PPM), which actually seems low compared to Octomore which has soared as high as 300 PPM.
Port Charlotte SYC:01 is the seventh release in the Cask Exploration series, which as indicated by the name centers around different types of cask finishes to show how they affect the flavor of the whisky. SYC:01 was released in the U.K. last year but has just arrived here in the U.S., and it’s the first Port Charlotte whisky to be finished in Syrah wine casks in this series. “To have a wine cask inventory of this scale and variety is quite extraordinary,” said head distiller Adam Hannett in a statement. “With Port Charlotte SYC:01, the immense influence of the Syrah casks is clear to see. It’s a balancing act to ensure the oak and the peat smoke work in perfect harmony, and our versatile Port Charlotte spirit has worked amazingly well with the rich fruits and spice from the cask. The result is a multidimensional single malt whisky and something new and unique for Port Charlotte.”
This 10-year-old whisky was initially put into first fill (75 percent) and second fill (25 percent) bourbon barrels in 2013. Five years later, it was put into first fill Syrah casks sourced from a French wine producer for another four years, and then put back into refill bourbon barrels to allow the flavors to marry for a period of time before being bottled at 54.4 percent ABV with no color added. Official tasting notes describe peat, caramel, and spice on the nose, followed by smoke, orange peel, mango, and brown sugar on the palate, and a bit of salinity on the finish. Port Charlotte SYC:01 is available now at select retailers (SRP $150), and you can find other Port Charlotte releases available to purchase at ReserveBar.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker