Bruichladdich Old Skool 10yo

Bruichladdich Old Skool 10yo

Region: Islay

ABV: 50.0%

Price: £60.00

Released in 2026 as a 25th anniversary limited edition, this unpeated Bruichladdich is 10 years old and distilled from malted barley grown on Islay. The bottling is inspired by the distillery’s retro 1980s labels and was primarily matured in first-fill bourbon casks with a small parcel (5%) of first-fill Sauternes.

Nose

Palate

The palate opens with quite a citrusy, zingy beginning, lots of fresh lemon juice, a little fizzy pineapple soft drink flavour appearing too. It then moves into some fresh yoghurt, white chocolate mice, and more of those tropical flavours, like pineapple and mango chunks. The finish is a tad shorter than we'd like, but it does leave a lingering sweet and sour note - similar to Haribo Tangfastic sweeties. It feels quite artificial in nature - lots of man made sweetness, not that it's a bad thing. The mouthfeel is ok, it's more like simple sugar syrup, but doesn't coat the mouth too much. Our last sip gives more of a malty, slightly caramel-led flavour, a little bitter and drying, maybe some melon balls too. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose gets a little mustier, some damp earth, wooden beams in a musty warehouse, alongside more of a milky, yoghurty character beginning to appear. It feels like the small percentage of Sauternes is starting to show, a fair amount of apricot has started to appear, maybe some yellow pear too. 

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate hasn't changed too much - weirdly it feels a little warmer, spicier, with more citric acid and black pepper heat coming through. The texture and finish remain mostly the same. It's still good, but it probably doesn't need any water.

Conclusion

A fruity, zesty, sweet and sour dram with a whole heap of creamy bourbon cask flavours and aromas dropped on top. For us there's a few things that would elevate this higher, better texture, a longer finish, a tad less pepperiness, but it drinks really well and you'll not be disappointed if you pick up a bottle. 

Score: 7/10

Value

Not a terrible price, but you can get the regular 10yo for less.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

If you like what you’ve read then check out our social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) to get notifications of when we post a new review or just to chat about whisky with us.