This bottling is from our Sherry Series, which was an exploration of the maturation of Bruichladdich spirit in a variety of high-provenance sherry butts. Sherry wood has been highly prized by the whisky distiller since war with France in the early nineteenth century made wine casks unobtainable.
In this case we were fortunate to obtain prized Fino floor butts from Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla. Fino sherry, made from the palomino grape, is the driest and palest of all the fortified wines from Jerez, and benefits from the legendary “flor” – an indigenous strain of yeast – that develops on the surface of the wine and protects it from excessive oxidisation and adds layers of complexity to this great sherry.
This was a fascinating series of whiskies – the other bottlings used respectively Manzanilla, Oloroso and Pedro Ximinez butts – and this small parcel of 1992 Fino is the very last!
Tasting Notes
Lithe and subtle, smooth and sensuous, absolutely faultless with a lightness in the texture that gently ripples over the pallet exciting and uplifting the senses.
Lush golden grapes ooze from the glass like a model on a catwalk. Followed by honeyed malted barley, sweet and crisp, all wrapped up in the stunning mellowness of both American and Spanish oaks. One providing sweet vanilla and the other the semi sweet dryness imparted by the Fino. It has a delightful fresh and very clean fruit and floral bouquet which develops in the glass given time. Only the best butts have been used in the maturing of the Fino sherry thus the richness in the aromatics. Due to its time in our coastal warehouses that key note of lemon juice provides contrast and an edge of citrus sharpness to the fusion of aromas being experienced.
The sweet malty flavours are immediately apparent giving thoughts of late August barley fields, warm and sunny. Then the dry sweetness of the Fino emerges slowly with a touch of almond nuttiness with the lushness of the grapes coating the palate like fruit syrup. It’s an arousing pleasure giving experience, and at this age it’s really at its highest point in taste terms. The skills of the farmer, the distiller, the Coopers, the bourbon and wine makers all coming together wrapped up in time and providing a single malt of star quality and congeniality.
Bruichladdich with its beautiful unpeated fruitiness, its natural colour and its unchilled rich texture is a perfect match for the Fino style sherry butt enhancement, and lingers long bringing absolute satisfaction to the consumer who recognises the benefits of hand crafted natural single malt.
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46% Alc./700ml Vol.
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