Dramfool Heritage Bruichladdich 20 Year Old (70cl, 59%)

This is a 20 year old Islay single malt from Bruichladdich, bottled by Dramfool as the 55th release in its Heritage range. It was distilled on 26 August 2002 and bottled on 11 October 2022, with an outturn of 222 bottles. The whisky matured in a single first fill Bourbon barrel and was bottled at a cask strength of 59%, with natural colour and without chill filtration. Bruichladdich fills its casks at 63.5%, which helped it hold on to that strength. The nose is Islay without the smoke, leaving barley and oak alongside Atlantic freshness and ripe guava and melon. On the palate, malt sweetness sits against spicy oak from the Bourbon cask.