Cadenhead’s Bruichladdich 20yo Authentic Collection November 2024 & Friends of Bruichladdich 13yo Islay Barley

Cadenhead’s Bruichladdich 20yo Authentic Collection November 2024

Region: Islay

ABV: 52.7%

Price: £250.00 

Distilled in 2003 and matured in a bourbon barrel, this whisky was bottled in November 2024. A total of 114 bottles were released.

Nose

On the nose, there are notes of cold butter, yeast, peanuts, choux pastry, plasticine, and white chocolate mice. With a little patience we can also pick out a little lemon peel, warm plastic, and vanilla essence. It doesn’t immediately strike us as Bruichladdich, or as old as 20 years old, but it’s enjoyable enough to nose.

Palate

On the palate, there are notes of caramel, toffee, fudge, butterscotch Angel Delight, orange rind, and heavy honey. The mouthfeel is good, and the finish offers plenty of sweetness with a gentle spice, though it is little short for our liking. For us the cask influence has overpowered the Bruichladdich spirit, making us think it was a very active cask. It is good, but similar to the nose, it just tastes a touch younger than 20 years.

Nose (with water)

With water, we’re not noticing a significant difference on the nose, but there is a slight increase in alcohol spice and a touch more creaminess. The white chocolate mice note has also become more pronounced.

Palate (with water)

With water, there’s a touch more spice, still primarily black pepper, along with less honey and more citrus notes. The mouthfeel is still good, but the finish remains a little short for our liking. The palate like the nose hasn’t really changed that much with dilution.

Conclusion

It’s a good dram, but it doesn’t immediately strike us as a Laddie. The sweetness is quite prominent, and at times, it almost feels more like drinking a bourbon than a Scotch. We’re sure some will enjoy it more than we did, and because of that we’re tempted to rate it a touch higher but will settle on a 7.

Score: 7/10

Value

£250 feels steep, but the price of independent bottling Bruichladdich is sky-high across the board.

Friends of Bruichladdich 13yo Islay Barley

Region: Islay

ABV: 59.9%

Price: £100.00 

This bottling for Friends of Bruichladdich is a mix of 60% first-fill bourbon casks and 40% first-fill Amarone casks, with a total of 1,881 bottles released. It marks the first Laddie collaboration outside the Micro Provenance series and the first to be bottled at an ABV above 50%.

Nose

The nose opens with aromas of fudge, raspberry ripple, vanilla ice cream, fresh leather, charred toast, and burnt brown sugar. On revisiting, notes of pistachios, strawberries, raspberries, and icing sugar emerge. It’s pleasant to nose, with the bourbon and Amarone casks working in harmony. Very little spice here for 56.9%.

Palate

Initially, on the palate we’re getting heavy lime and lemon juice, which transitions into toffee, caramel, raspberries, warehouse funk, and a hint of dark chocolate bitterness. The finish has a touch of spice, but the sweetness lingers with it on the medium-length finish. The mouthfeel is good and pleasantly oily. Like the nose there’s good integration between the different cask types.

Nose (with water)

With water, the palate reveals more warehouse funk and leans more savoury, with notes of cashews, pistachios, and bread rolls, along with a hint of citrus. The influence of the bourbon casks becomes more pronounced.

Palate (with water)

With water, the dark chocolate bitterness is reduced, allowing more sweetness to come through. Most of the pre-diluted notes remain, now joined by a noticeable amount of honey. The mouthfeel remains good, and the finish is still medium in length, with plenty of sweetness lingering. Personally, we prefer this without water, but it’s an enjoyable dram either way.

Conclusion

Sometimes, the integration between different Laddie casks can feel a bit disjointed, but here, the bourbon and Amarone casks work beautifully together. These were only sold in cases of six, and we took a gamble by buying a case. Thankfully, we can happily say it was a good decision.

Score: 8/10

Value

It’s not cheap, but it’s competitively priced compared to similar releases.

• 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.

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