BRUICHLADDICH - Micro-Provenance - Single Cask #0808 - 14 years - Optic Barley - 292 bottles - 58.8% - Ambassador Exclusive
This Bruichladdich Micro-Provenance Single Cask #0808, aged 14 years and bottled at 58.8%, is a rare and exclusive edition reserved for the distillery's ambassadors. Made from Optic Barley, this single malt highlights Bruichladdich's terroir approach, with an unpeated distillate that expresses the purity of the grain and the precision of the distillation. The deep, bright golden color signals a beautiful concentration and a long cask maturation. On the nose, the whisky unfolds notes of light honey, buttery biscuit, and warm cereal, joined by aromas of yellow fruits, dried apricot, and ripe pear. Nuances of vanilla, pastry cream, and a touch of candied citrus add an elegant pastry dimension. In the background, the wood is fine, evoking soft oak, discreet coconut, and a hint of delicate spices.
On the palate, the 58.8% asserts itself with a clear but remarkably controlled intensity, offering a broad, rich, almost oily attack without ever becoming burning. The mid-palate reveals a dense texture, blending biscuity malt, light caramel, vanilla, and notes of cooked fruits, in a precise balance between indulgence and tension. Some touches of mild spices, white pepper, and ginger structure the tasting and add nerve to the whole. The Optic barley brings a very cereal, almost creamy texture that carries the aromas for a long time without heaviness. With a drop of water, the profile opens up to more fruits, dried flowers, and slightly honeyed notes, while retaining the clear and saline signature of Islay's unpeated malts. The finish is long, marked by malt, vanilla, and a noble, polished woodiness.
Limited edition of only 292 bottles, this Micro-Provenance #0808 is clearly aimed at knowledgeable enthusiasts and collectors of the Bruichladdich house. Its ambassador-exclusive status makes it a sought-after bottle, both for its rarity and for what it tells about the distillery's parcel and experimental work. It is ideally enjoyed neat, in a suitable glass, after a few minutes of breathing, possibly with a few drops of water to tame the strength and reveal all the nuances of the barley and the cask. At the table, it will find a beautiful echo with a lightly sweetened dark chocolate, a dried fruit dessert, or a caramelized pear tart, or even an elegant cigar to prolong the moment. It is a characterful, precise, indulgent, and deeply identity-rich single malt that illustrates Bruichladdich's ability to create rare expressions where every detail – vintage, barley, cask, and selection – is conceived as a unique piece.
