Bruichladdich – 1984 Golder Still 23 Years Old (70cl, 51%)

This is a Bruichladdich single malt distilled in 1984 and bottled by the distillery in 2008 at 23 years old. It was matured in bourbon squat hogsheads and bottled at 51% in a 70cl bottle, with an outturn of 4866 bottles. Bruichladdich sits on the north shore of Loch Indaal on Islay, and uses open stills that are not especially tall. It runs its own bottling hall, the only one on the island. The nose has strong vanilla, honey and spicy oak, with malty sweetness, lemon, green apple and pineapple. The palate opens sweet with vanilla, honey and light citrus oils, creamy for a cask-strength whisky, before the oak emerges. The finish is long, fruity and sweet, with spicy oak.