This Elements of Islay Port Charlotte is your quintessential Islay dram, made not by your most classic Islay distillery.
Bruichladdich is the quirky Islay distillery. From the Victorian equipment to the funky lacticity (that’s usually covered over in the peated expressions), from the numerous wine casks to Ugly Betty’s gin, things are just done differently on the western shores of Lochindaal.
Bruichladdich, seen across Loch Indaal. Photo Credit: islay.org.uk
This is a dram for one of those days you just want a hit of peat. It isn’t overly complex, nor is it too simple. Port Charlotte is Bruichladdich’s “heavily peated”, and here’s Adam Hannett on the making of Port Charlotte:
Photo Credit: Elixir Distillers
Elements of Islay Pl5 – Port Charlotte 2009, One Refill Bourbon Cask and One First Fill Bourbon Cask, 582 Bottles (63.1% ABV, NCF, NC)
Appearance: Gold, quick legs with a lot of residue.
Nose: Peat and brine (like from a can of pickles), with a thick honey sweetness. Lightly spiced with black and white pepper, and a touch of allspice. The nose has a lovely dryness to it, with some floral notes in the background. With time in the glass, it gets more floral.
Palate: Thick and sweet, switching to a hit of peat, ash and pepper. There’s some yellow plum on the palate too.
Linger: Big burnt notes, with tar and peat, pepper on the tongue and dryness on the inside of the cheeks. The gullet is ringed with spice, but it’s rather gentle. The dram is quite warming.
Conclusion
Clear, concise and very Islay-esque….