Bruichladdich 12 Year Old Alchemist

This Bruichladdich was bottled by Alchemist (actually Alc-Hem-Ist, but what the heck), the company run by Gordon Wright, whose family owns Springbank. Wright, together with Mark Reynier and Simon Coughlin, bought the Islay distillery in 2001. This bottle contains whisky that was distilled in April 1993 and bottled in April 2006. And still a 12 Year Old, meaning it must have been bottled a few days prior to its 13th birthday). It is very pale.

This Laddie is incredibly clean and sweet on the palate. The coastal elements are in perfect balance with the sweetness, that consists primarily of citrus and vanilla. I also get some sweet/sour apples. All very young and playful. Very accessible, but in all honesty also a little boring.

On the palate, it remains playful. Covered in a layer of white pepper I get vanilla again and a whole panoply of citrus fruits: lime, lemon and grapefruit. A touch of peat smoke. Same here: accessible, but of little real interest.

The finish is clean and long on exactly the same taste.

With regards to complexity, I feel this Laddie is in the same league as the official Bruichladdie Peat. Simply, accessible, little boring. If you want to invite a newbie to get to know Laddie, this is the bottle to use. Approximately 50 EUR.

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