If you asked me to make a shortlist of distilleries that have the nicest looking bottles, then Bruichladdich would be in it. I know, it’s not what matters most, but I do like the modern typography and bold colours. Too many whisky brands are taking the conservative (fake artisan) route when it comes to their identity.
They’ve now invested a lot of time in the new Port Charlotte 10 Year Old, which comes in a new type of dumpy bottle with dark green glass and heavily embossed lettering at the back. There’s something army-style to it, which suits this type of whisky. In any case it looks even better in the flesh than it does in pictures.
Now let’s talk about the contents of the bottle, which is new as well. This new batch of Port Charlotte is still heavily peated (40 ppm) and a combination of 65% first-fill Jack Daniel’s casks, 10% second-fill Jack Daniel’s casks and 25% of refill French oak wine casks.
Update: Port Charlotte 10 Years has been elected Whisky of the Year 2021 by The Whisky Exchange.
Port Charlotte 10 yo (50%, OB 2018)
Nose: quite rounded and fat, slightly softer than expected, with sweet lemons and peat. It’s nicely oily and ashy, with darker sooty notes in the background. Aromatic spices as well (French oak). Seaweed and dried herbal notes. Farmy notes too (hay, barnyard, wet fur). Then back to peaches and touches of roasted pineapple.
Mouth: very oily and maritime, but very drinkable as well. Vanilla custard, sweet soot again, red apples and (burnt) pineapple. Pepper and medicinal touches. Maybe a light rubbery touch as well. Hay. Black tea and liquorice. Increasingly savoury.
Finish: long, dry and leafy, with spices and just a hint of vanilla.
This is quite a (contemporary) classic: intense yet balanced, with a clear distillery stamp. If you like Lagavulin 16 or Ardbeg 10, there’s no excuse for not buying this. Around € 55 from The Whisky Exchange or Master of Malt.