Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 700 ml

Product Information

Just to preface, this whisky definitely needs a little water added, maybe enough to bring it down to 46% or so. I'll include notes both with and without below. Stays fairly consistent regardless of water. Long and oaky, a little bitter along with some residual malt.

Aroma has a warm, fruity, malty profile with a strong layer of decadent dessert/pastry notes that lend some buttercream frosting characteristics making it a a loverly fun aroma; Palate comes through similarly to the aroma but with more apples and more depth to the malty notes; Finish is warm and fruity fading to oaky char. B Corp status is really taking off around the world, with over 4,700 businesses signed up covering about 400,000 employees in over 80 countries. It is cross industry, and therefore many readers may have encountered the status outside of whisky. There are as many organisations aiming to grant independent certification as corporations looking to virtue signal and sign up. For me, the most important aspect of the B Corp status that elevates it above other certifying bodies is that it requires legal changes in the business’ articles of incorporation to require the business to look for benefits for all stakeholders not just the shareholders.How has Bruichladdich embraced the change? First certified in May 2020, notable aspects of the business that helped them qualify included commitments to their workers that included: The vatting, once complete, is bottled at 50% ABV without added coloring or chill filtration. The higher ABV helps those subtle notes pop, and as we know from Octomore, Bruichladdich spirit likes to be braced by a high alcohol percentage. Composing each unique recipe is a rigorous process. Adam must systematically sample and evaluate every spirit by nose, taste and mouthfeel.

Producing the Classic Laddie is among the most intricate and demanding tasks entrusted to their Head Distiller, Adam Hannett. He personally selects an assembly of the finest spirits to achieve the signature fruity and floral Bruichladdich house style.

Fruit salad and caramel, with a malted biscuit underpinning. Bright and apple saucy, the coastal hot air lingers around if you look for it. Pepper and spice from the big ABV is exhilarating, the addition of water opens up the sweetness and soft spices, adding more of a sandy cinnamon bun to the picture. It’s delicious stuff without being overly complex or demanding. This is just a fun whisky. While it may not be a consistent whisky, because it’s always changing its cask source, it is consistently good. They’re also unusual in how they produce their products themselves. Unlike the neighbouring distilleries on the island, the entire range is made without peat. Instead, local barley is pushed to the fore and each batch is unique. The recipe is, ‘not set in stone’ and they’re ‘never striving for absolute consistency’. B Corp has absolutely no impact on the flavour of your whisky, but it can impact on how warmly you feel about the brand. I had previously been a little withering about the green status of Bruichladdich and the speed of change to reach net-zero in comparison to some of the other distillers. However, going green is only one small aspect of what makes a company a force for good or a force for evil. On the sustainability front, Bruichladdich was using residual heat from the stills to heat offices, the visitor centre, and the bottling hall. They also switched to 100% green electricity. This is interesting as it relates to choosing a green energy tariff from the electricity supplier – which any of us can choose to do – however the production process still requires non-renewable energy. There is a target to change this by 2025.