Bruichladdich Launches The Ternary Project
Bruichladdich has launched The Ternary Project, the first in a series of revitalised small-batch experiments taken from the inner workings of Head Distiller Adam Hannett’s sample room. The Ternary Project combines three vintages of three spirit types (Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte, and Octomore), matured in three classes of casks, and is bottled at 52.1% ABV.
The unpeated Bruichladdich spirit makes up 30% of the composition and was distilled “before the distillery’s closure and eventual renaissance”. It was initially matured in 2nd fill ex-bourbon hogsheads before being re-casked into French red wine casks, then Pedro Ximinez sherry butts from Fernando De Castilla.
The heavily peated Port Charlotte spirit makes up 40% of the composition and was distilled “soon after the distillery’s renaissance.” It was filled into a combination of 1st fill bourbon barrels, 1st fill Oloroso sherry casks, and 1st fill Virgin Oak.
The super heavily peated Octomore spirit makes up 30% of the composition and was distilled in 2008. It was filled into Sauternes, French Mourvedres, Austrian Sweet Wines, ex-Amarone, and bourbon casks.
Bruichladdich’s official tasting notes for The Ternary Project follow:
Nose: All at once, there is a combination of peat smoke, dried figs and toasted oak with rich dried tobacco emerging from the glass. The powerful characters of this whisky intertwined and displaying their intensity. As the dram opens, so does the detail and complexity. The deep earthy, dry peat smoke. Sweet toasted oak with coconut, creamy vanilla, cinder toffee and milk chocolate. The layers of fruit go from dates, figs, raisins to cranberries, cherry and peach. Candied Citrus peels and black tea. Leather and sea salt. Hazelnuts and hints of gorse flower.
Taste: On the palate, the presence of this dram is immense. The rich texture sweeps across the palate and brings with it the earthy peat smoke, the dried fruit and rich oak, balanced beautifully with no one aspect dominating the other. Barley sugar and stoned fruit add their weight and then the lighter citrus notes, vanilla, peaches, cherry. Another sip opens up the floral elements and the soft marine notes. The characters of the three components, Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore, are all evident, and they come together to provide harmony and balance.
Finish: The finish is where the floral notes and stoned fruit come through brightly before fading until only the peat smoke remains with hints of the dried fruit. All three spirits showing their fruity and floral style alongside the peat ash and beach bonfire notes the Octomore and Port Charlotte components bring.
The Ternary Project is limited to 4,000 bottles and is available exclusively via ballot on the Bruichladdich website, open now and closing on April 5th at 12:00 PM BST. Winners of the ballot will be able to purchase up to two 700 mL bottles for £275.00 each.
Photo credit: Bruichladdich.
Source: Bruichladdich.