Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie

Creating the Classic Laddie is one of the most complex and demanding responsibilities bestowed upon their Head Distiller, Adam Hannett, who curates this assemblage of their finest spirits by hand to achieve their signature fruity and floral Bruichladdich house style.

Composing each unique recipe is a rigorous process. Adam must systematically sample and evaluate every spirit by nose, taste and mouthfeel. It is painstaking and difficult work, requiring a clear head and many checks, pauses and re-evaluations over many weeks. The final formula is decided in the quiet of his sample room.

They bottle their Classic Laddie at 50% alcohol by volume as opposed to the average of 40-46%. The flavour of their spirit at 50% ABV is barley forward, meaning you taste more of the Scottish malt they have worked hard to trace. They will not stretch their spirit and compromise on quality for the sake of profit.

Tasting notes:
Colour: Sunlight on early summer barley fields.

Nose: The bouquet is brilliant. Opening with barley sugar and a hint of mint before leading into the most wonderful notes of freshly cut wild flowers; buttercup, daisy, meadowsweet, myrtle, primrose and cherry blossom. The cleanliness of the spirit is remarkable. As the seconds tick by, more aromas rise from the glass, including little zephyrs of spindrift and sea pinks, reminding you that this spirit is matured exclusively beside the sea. After some four or five minutes and with the addition of a little water, caramelised fruits drift onto the scene; lemon drops and honey, tangerine and tablet.

Palate: The palate entry is so refined and refreshing, the sweet oak and the barley arriving together sending the taste buds into raptures. The fruits from distillation drift in on an atlantic breeze and pop on the tongue like champagne bubbles. A combination of ripe green fruit, brown sugar and sweet malt bring closure. A taste back in time, a realisation that not all single malts are equal and to achieve the absolute optimum, you must use barley that is made in Scotland. Make this one the benchmark for all others you meet on your journey through the stills of Scotland.

Finish: Unforgettable! It's best enjoyed in good company, you just don’t want the evening to end. It brings warmth to the heart and soul. The clock slows down and the cares of tomorrow disappear into the dawn.