Friends of Bruichladdich (FOB) Bruichladdich 33 1/3

Friends of Bruichladdich (FOB) Bruichladdich 33 1/3 

Region: Islay

ABV: 46.2%

Price: £475.00

Distilled in 1991 and matured in a bourbon cask, this whisky was bottled in January 2025 at approximately 33 1/3 years old. We’re reliably informed that the cask yielded just 88 bottles.

Nose

Initially on the nose, we’re picking up notes of vanilla essence, toasted crumpets, wood chips, lemon and lime juice, candied necklaces, and candy floss. There’s also a bunch of crackers, brioche buns, and pistachios, accompanied by some warehouse funk and apple strudel with a slight hint of cinnamon spice. It’s very easy to nose at this ABV, with a complexity that keeps drawing us back. A subtle woodiness hints at its age, though we wouldn’t necessarily have guessed this was Bruichladdich. 

Palate

The palate is spicier than expected given the ABV, but there’s a lovely sweetness behind it, paired with a coastal character that unmistakably evokes Islay. Notes of grapefruit, orange juice, burnt sugar, caramel, and sea spray come through clearly. Personally, we’d have liked a little more richness in the mouthfeel, but the enjoyable flavours more than make up for it. Pepper spice lingers alongside the sweeter notes on a good-length finish. While the nose offers more complexity than the palate, even with its relative simplicity, it’s a dram that keeps us coming back for another sip. 

Nose (with water)

With water, it develops an almost sherry-like treacle note, accompanied by more pronounced citrus and a hint of warehouse funk. Overall, the nose remains quite similar to its pre-diluted state. However, with a little patience, more of the cask influence emerges, concentrating the sweetness. That said, the overall profile doesn’t change significantly.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate is slightly thinner, with less spice and a fading sweetness. Overall, much like the nose, it hasn’t changed dramatically. With time in the glass, there’s a hint of mango, but not much else emerges. Personally, we’d recommend skipping water on this one as the loss of mouthfeel isn’t worth it.

Conclusion

This is the kind of whisky you could give to a non-whisky drinker to show them why you love whisky—a great example of how, while older isn’t always better, when it works, it can be truly special. As Laddie fans, we’d personally rate this around an 8.5, but removing our own biases, there are a few nitpicks that pull the score down slightly. We can’t help but wonder if it might have been even better if bottled a little younger, as it feels like it may have stayed in the cask just a touch too long. Still, it’s an impressive dram, and we’re definitely sad to have missed out on a bottle.

Score: 8/10

Value

It’s hard to claim that £475 is a bargain, but for what this is, a 33-year-old single cask with such a limited outturn, we have to admit it feels justified.

• 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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