Scotch Whisky Review #298: Bruichladdich 21 Year (1968)

Distillery: Bruichladdich.

Region: Islay.

Age: 21 year. Distilled in 1968 and bottled in 1990.

ABV: 43.0%

Price: Many thanks to /u/KissMeElon for sharing this with me and to /u/throwboats, whose bottle this originally came from (his review is here).

Color: 1.1, Burnished.

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Nose: It’s quite fruity! Grapes and citrus are what come to mind the most, though there are a number of other fruits that I couldn’t quite pick out. A nice, big helping of malt barley comes through as well.

Palate: Sweet and very dessert-like. There’s a rich chocolate pie that comes through strongly. It’s complete with creamy dark chocolate, a hint of whipped cream, and a little bit of pie crust. That’s served alongside with caramel cream candies and a little bit of butterscotch. The dark chocolate notes seem to keep things in balance, keeping it from getting too sweet.

Finish: Medium in length. The chocolate pie note continues on quite strongly. Butterscotch and caramel come along as well.

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Conclusion: It isn’t every day that you come across pre-shutdown Bruichladdich, much less one from the 1960s. For being decades and several owners apart, this historical Laddie shares the penchant for delivering a ton of flavor like it does in modern times. The nose doesn’t give away any of what you’re about to try. The first sip delivers a massive helping of really delicious chocolate pie that’s supported by more dessert treats of caramel cream and butterscotch. That lasts continuously into the finish and lingers for a little bit. It’s quite a treat and I’m very grateful to have been able to try this!

Final Score: 88.

Scotch Whisky Review #298, Islay Review #45, Whisky Network Review #441

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Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.