Our final Watt Whisky bottling from this release cycle comes from Bruichladdich in the form of a 13 year old Lochindaal (peated more than Port Charlotte, but less than Octomore.) The 50+PPM spirit was first distilled in 2007, but to the best of my knowledge has not become a mainstay spirit in active production in the same way as the distillery’s three main styles. As such, there’s only a limited number of these cask available – and as such they come with a premium in-built. This release was matured in a single ex-bourbon barrel and has been bottled at 57.1% ABV. Blink and you’ll miss it.
Nose: Dirty. Iron filings and wire wool sit with greasy axles, whilst clay, putty and very wet peat smoke join margaritas and zesty citrus peels. There’s a nougat creaminess at the centre – partly confectionary, partly barnyard with elements of sour cream and Philadelphia – all trademark Laddie. The addition of water presents sack cloth and burnt plastic together with haylofts and an aside of cowpat.
Taste: Olive oil, lamp oil and pan oils. Apple and lime zing before moving into a funkier industrial/farmyard spectrum with steel, graphite, damp hay, wet wool and billowing chimney smoke. Water retains the oily texture whilst presenting all of the aspects with a gentler outlook – salinity, burning barns and smoked whipped cream.
Finish: Long, with ash, factory floors and lingering creaminess.
This Watt Whisky Lochindaal is very much ‘of a style’ and that style is archetypally Bruichladdich. That will either float your boat, or it won’t – the earthy, farmyard peat being something of a marmite note for many peated whisky fans. Personally, I very much enjoy this type of agricultural and pastorally-led peater as a divergence from my ‘usual’ style of smoke – and this example ticks all the boxes one would expect.
Review sample provided by Watt Whisky