Bruichladdich 23 Year (1992) A Final of Creation Château Latour Wine Cask

Scotch Whisky Review #498: Bruichladdich 23 Year (1992) A Final of Creation Château Latour Wine Cask

Distillery: Bruichladdich.

Region: Islay.

Age: 23 Year. Distilled in 1992 and bottled in 2015.

ABV: 52.0%.

Cask Type: Château Latour Wine Cask.

Price: Sample courtesy of /u/federalagents.

Color: 1.1, Burnished.

Nose: It’s quite shy for me, it took almost an hour in the glass for the nose to really start showing anything. Once it starts going though, it does go fairly hard. The wine influence is very strong giving off red fruit notes galore with red grapes, cherries, a tinge of raspberry, cranberries, and red currants. The first note I actually got out of this was caramel popcorn, though I haven’t really found it again since that initial whiff. Adding a bit of water brings out some toffee notes which might be the caramel popcorn I got early on.

Palate: This is really, really easy drinking. Serve this to me blind and I’d guess a low-40s ABV given how easy it is to drink in fact. There’s an earthy element here along with some dessert-y ones which are reminding me of a dark chocolate dipped rice krispy treat – perhaps one made with “malt krispies” – or a s’mores inspired granola bar. There is some toffee nut syrup and a bit of caramel popcorn. Red fruits in the form of cherries and craisins also come through. A drop of water doesn’t really change things here beyond accentuating the toffee aspect.

Finish: Medium long in length. The cherries and craisins continues on here along with a bit of granola.

Conclusion: The story behind this cask is that it was Jim McEwan’s favorite cask he found at Bruichladdich, one he dubbed his “Princess Diana” cask. It was (at the time anyway) his final act of creation for his retirement at Bruichladdich and bottled at 52% ABV to celebrate his 52 years in the industry. So how is it? It is quite good, fantastic even. However I can’t help but feel like there’s something missing that would make this truly special for me, missing the “X-factor” if you will. Perhaps it comes from how hyped up this cask was but while I can appreciate the excellence for what it is, it isn’t one that is dropped my jaw, widened my eyes, and was truly unforgettable for me. Still it has been a privilege to try this one and celebrate the “end” of a legendary career.

Rating: 91.

Scotch Whisky Review #498, Islay Review , Whisky Network Review #663

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing.
  • 0-49: Blech.

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