700ml 50%
Another superb single vintage Bere Barley single malt from Bruichladdich is here. The 2013 edition was made using 100% unpeated Bere barley grown by the Agronomy Institute of Orkney College (UHI), the oldest strain of cultivated cereal in Britain, supported by the following farms: Weyland and Watersfield, Muddisdale and Quoyberstane, St Ola. Westermill and the Northfield, Burray. It was matured for 10 years in a combination of first-fill bourbon barrels (80%) and second-fill Pauillac wine casks (20%) and was bottled at 50% ABV.
NoseAromas of warm citrus, tropical fruit, and sweet malty flour are immediate on the nose. As the whisky opens the sweetness of the fruit, oak, and malted Bere barley combine to give an uplifting, sunny feel to the dram, enhanced with fragrant peach skin, fresh vanilla pods, candied orange, and creamy fudge. Over time, delicate floral notes of rose and subtle sweet violet appear.
PalateOn the palate, the presence of the malted grain is unmistakable with notes of popcorn, brown sugar, and warm porridge. The Bere barley provides a soft, rounded mouthfeel, beautifully complementing the sweet, stoned fruit notes. Apricot, peach, melon, and candied orange are balanced with the gentle influence of the oak, which adds a hint of vanilla, coconut, and marzipan.
FinishMilk chocolate, malted grain, and crème brulee add to the soft finish, while a hint of mango and orange blossom honey linger