Bruichladdich - Port Charlotte 10 Review

Bruichladdich Distillery, founded in 1881 by the Harvey brothers, stands as a testament to Islay's rich whisky-making heritage. Located on the shores of Loch Indaal, it was originally designed as a state-of-the-art Victorian distillery, utilizing gravity-fed production methods and concrete construction, which was innovative for its time(13).

Despite its advanced design, Bruichladdich faced numerous challenges throughout its history. Family conflicts and external pressures, including World Wars, led to multiple ownership changes and periods of closure7. The distillery changed hands several times in the 20th century, including ownership by DCL and Whyte & Mackay, before being mothballed in 1994(5.)

In 2000, a group of investors led by Mark Reynier of Murray McDavid purchased and revived Bruichladdich. They embraced the distillery's Victorian-era equipment, focusing on traditional methods while introducing innovative approaches to whisky-making(11). This revival period saw experimentation with different cask types and a commitment to using Scottish-grown barley, with a significant portion sourced from Islay itself(9).

Rémy Cointreau acquired Bruichladdich in 2012, enabling further investment in facilities while maintaining the distillery's commitment to traditional practices and local production(5).

Port Charlotte 10 Year is one of Bruichladdich's heavily peated expressions, conceived, distilled, matured, and bottled entirely on Islay. This single malt showcases the distillery's expertise in crafting peated whiskies while maintaining a distinct character(6).

Bottled at 50% ABV and aged for 10 years, Port Charlotte 10 offers a complex flavor profile. The nose presents green apple and peat aromas, while the palate reveals tropical fruits and cocoa notes. The finish balances smoky elements with the sweetness of fudge, malted barley, and fruit(8)(6).

This whisky exemplifies Bruichladdich's philosophy of terroir-driven production, using 100% Scottish mainland barley and bottling without chill-filtration or added coloring(6). Port Charlotte 10 Year has gained recognition as a solid entry in the realm of Islay peat monsters, offering strong smokiness balanced with classic Bruichladdich characteristics(4).

Review:

Nose: A nice initial sweetness on the nose. I get some melon and apple up front and almost some sherry like influence as well. Immediately after these notes I get gob smacked with barbecue smoke (peat). This isn’t the common peat smell though that you get off most peated scotches. This has a much fuller and richer peat smoke that resembles a barbecue or bonfire which is wonderful. This would be excellent in the summer. In between sips, I get a plum note as well, interestingly enough.

Palate: This is a treat. It has the classic unpeated Bruichladdich characteristics. There is a little bit of salinity, sweetness form the barley and the fruit notes come through on the palate as well. Then it is rushed over with that barbecue like ash which blends so nicely with the sweetness. It has a medium viscosity and packs a nice punch of heat and flavor on the sip. It is very well rounded and does not come across as overpowering and is not light by any means either.

Finish: The finish is kind of mild on this. It finishes out with the fruits and the smoke dies out relatively quickly after the sip. I am not getting as much of the cocoa notes that the distiller’s notes state but I think the blend of fruits, spice, smoke, and malt really mix nicely. I would say the finish for me last about 10-12 seconds.

Overall: 84. This is the peated whiskey that got me into peated whiskey. I always told myself that “Oh, smoke isnt for me, its too overbearing, its too pungent, too abrasive.” I found this to be harmonious. It is an outstanding entry level peated whiskey that does so many things right. Its not overly complex by any means but it is just a well done scotch for a more than acceptable price. This opened my eyes to the Bruichladdich Distillery and now those who hear me talk about whiskey will always hear me recommend this brand because I’ve just been so impressed with many of their offerings. But don’t get me started on their bottlings they charge over $1,000 for… Mayb ea bit too common on that front.

Value: 80/100; (+2 on the overall). This bottle retails for about $69.99. Banger of a bottle for this price. I think if you are like I was and say “I really don;t think Id like a peated scotch” and have only had Johnnie Walker or some blended scotch, give this a shot. You may be as impressed as I was! Your wallet will be a little impressed to, if you decide to buy a bottle after your pour.

Availability: Available. You shouldn’t have too much difficulty finding this one. Let’s hope it remains that way!

Citations:

1. https://vinepair.com/articles/ntk-bruichladdich/

2. https://www.filmwhiskey.com/blog/port-charlotte-10-review/

3. https://www.islayinfo.com/do/distilleries-and-tours/islay-distilleries/bruichladdich-distillery

4. https://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/comments/16lwyfp/review_137_port_charlotte_10_year/

5. https://scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia/1827/bruichladdich/

6. https://bruichladdich.reservebar.com/products/port-charlotte-10

7. https://www.wanderingspiritsglobal.com/bruichladdich-distillery/

8. https://eastsidecellars.com/products/port-charlotte-10-year-750ml

9. https://spiritsplatform.com.au/bartenders-corner/about-dram-time-bruichladdich-distillery-2/

10. https://the-right-spirit.com/2021/10/15/port-charlotte-10-year-heavily-peated-islay-single-malt/

11. https://cocktailwonk.com/2016/10/stepping-back-in-time-and-into-the-future-at-bruichladdich.html