Cabal: Bruichladdich MP7

Half of the cabal, Alec and I, completed our virtual tasting of the Bruichladdich MP7.

1694 d. 9/12/2004; b. 2017; 12 years first fill bourbon

N: sweet, bourbon, manuka honey?, vanilla

P: very spiky, sweet, oats? Cloying,

F: long, burnt wood,

Very vigorous, maybe too young? Smoothes out with water, but still very prickly.

Rating: 6/10

4019 d.17/12/2008; b 2017 8 yo; 1st fill bourbon

N: Hint of smoke, very sweet, hint of sweet fruit, ?maybe?

P: smokey, gentle tingle, fruit disappears on the palate

F: med, smoke-tingle, sweet almost smoky bacon crisps sweetness

7.5/10 good interesting, but not very complex

Water improves it, brings out smoke and warmth, maybe even 8/10

2431 d.11/07/2011 b 2017 6 years 1st fill bourbon; 61.5%

N: bourbon sweetness, oak chips, wet neoprene, wet cat (hopefully not in neoprene)

P: hint of smoke, prickly, pineapple, turkish delight?

F: oddly short, candied pineapple

7/10 more delicate than 4019, water doesn’t do much for it

Overall, we thought this was the lesser of the three tastings. The whisky seemed very aggressive, rather than interesting, and in at least one case, really needed more time in the barrel.