Bruichladdich – 1988/2019 30 Years (70cl, 46.2%)

Bruichladdich 1988 is a 30-year-old Islay single malt from the Rare Cask series, bottled in 2019 at 46.2% ABV in an outturn of 6,000 bottles. It spent all thirty years in the same few selected ex-bourbon barrels in the distillery's warehouses on Islay, and the refill casks give it noticeable, elegant wood notes. The nose opens with sweet cherries and strawberries, moving to raisins, dates, apricots, citrus oil and candied orange peel, then chocolate, toasted oak, roasted hazelnuts and a salty-sweet honey note. On the palate, toasted malt bread and coffee meet amaretto and apricot, with stewed fruit and fine tannins. The finish brings chocolate, cloves and rose petals, ending on toasted oak.