Bruichladdich Waves

Nose: soaked raisins and vanilla. A little more peat than I expected. Some maritime / grassy notes. A fruity, sweet edge coming from the madeira wine.

Mouth: malty start with quite a lot of spices. Another wave of vanilla. Sweet liquorice in the background, and something slightly minty.

Finish: medium-long on mellow peat, spices and berries.

A fresh, fruity and easy Bruichladdich. Kind of a summer Islay malt but nothing special.

Honeysuckle and heather introduce this dram fairly, but the nose suffers the high proof somewhat; smell deeply enough and you’ll find a pleasant whiff of salt and seaweed, but also the unfortunate sting of alcohol.

The sweeter scents deliver on their promises (plus notes of raspberry) and ease you into the taste of this smooth, full dram so fluidly, you’ll scarcely notice you’ve alternated orifices from nostril to mouth.

Though brine and sea air introduce themselves early, the peat exercises much reserve: mysteriously, at least for a Scotch of this price range, it is able to dodge the palate until the finish. It’s not the kind of peat you’ll feel in your nose tomorrow morning; it’s that quieter guest at dinner, donning outerwear in the coatroom – you ask them to stay for another hour and actually mean it. Then, in parting, they deliver that one deft note of conversation that made their presence so worthwhile.