It’s full blown blossoming spring time here – getting warmer, greenery all around, and so a fitting day for a spring-time Bruichladdich dram. A bottling from Speciality Drinks Ltd (the sister company to The Whisky Exchange, although Billy from TWE may say “it’s complex” on the relationships 😉 )

It’s a 1992 vintage, 23 year old that matrured in a Hogshead #3839 that was bottled in August 2016, yielding 237 bottles.

Bruichladdich 1992 23 Year Old (The Single Malts of Scotland) (55.4%, 237 bottles, £125/€165)

Nose: Starts fruity with a lot of spiced melon, oak wood spices, a bit of a damp wood which dampens my mood as I don’t like it too much, eucalyptus, a weak honey note and after a while, the fruitiness tends towards the sour side with newly developed minerals. Adding some water brings out some vanilla and less of the minerals but also a less fruitiness which is a loss.

Palate: Spicy hit, fruitier than nose with a lots of white pepper, greenery, salt and minerals, gentle oak wood, ending with sour sweet green fruit. With water it’s not as hot and also less sweet but also more greenery with eucalyptus and a wee whiff of camphor oil.

Finish: Short medium length, lingering sweet fruitiness with warmness of pepper aftermath.

Thoughts: There are some classic old Bruichladdich characteristics notes here, although the damp wood note on the nose is a bit of a downer. Overall a nice fruity dram, although my advise is to drink it neat without added water.

(Official sample provided by Speciality Drinks Ltd)