Review: Port Charlotte SYC: 01 2013
Port Charlotte SYC: 01 2013 is the seventh release in the Port Charlotte Cask Exploration series by Bruichladdich Distillery.
Distilled in 2013 from 100% Scottish mainland barley peated to 40 PPM (parts per million), Port Charlotte SYC: 01 2013 was initially filled into first fill (75%) and second fill (25%) Bourbon barrels. In 2018, the spirit was re-casked into first fill Syrah casks sourced from a winery in northern Rhône, France. After four years in Syrah casks, the spirit was re-casked into refill bourbon barrels to allow the whisky to marry prior to bottling.
Port Charlotte SYC: 01 2013 was bottled at 10 years old and is presented NCF (non chill-filtered) and coloring free at 54.4% ABV.
Port Charlotte SYC: 01 2013 Specifications:
- Spirit: Scotch.
- Classification: Single Malt.
- Region: Islay.
- Age: 10 Years Old.
- ABV: 54.4% (108.8 Proof).
- Cask Type: Matured in first fill and second fill Bourbon barrels, re-casked into first fill Syrah casks, re-casked into refill bourbon barrels.
- Other: Natural Color, NCF (Non-Chill Filtered).
- Price Paid: N/A (Sample from Bruichladdich).
- MSRP: $149.99 for 750 mL.
Elias’ Notes:
- Color: Amber.
- Nose: Sweet and smoky. Strawberries, red apples, and mixed berries intermingle with oak and peat smoke, followed by ginger, marzipan, honey, and a hint of citrus.
- Palate: Rich mouthfeel. Leads with BBQ peat smoke, charred oak, strawberry jam, and mixed berries, followed by roasted coffee beans, ginger, and honey.
- Finish: Medium long. The fruit, oak, and peat smoke fade slowly. The roasted coffee bean note from the palate moves to the foreground, accompanied by cocoa powder and lemon zest.
After sampling thousands of whiskies over the course of a decade, it can sometimes be difficult to get excited for new releases. You start to feel like you’ve seen it all, no matter what the whisky was distilled from, what type(s) of casks it was aged in, or for how long it was aged. However, the Port Charlotte Cask Exploration series is an exception. New entries in the series always delivers, and have become something I look forward to every year.
Port Charlotte SYC: 01 2013 continues that trend. The rich fruit notes imparted by the Syrah cask maturation perfectly compliment the distillate’s aromatic peat smoke to deliver another excellent entry in the Port Charlotte Cask Exploration series. If you’re a fan of Port Charlotte, or peated whisky in general, this is a must try!
Rating: B+ (87-89%).
Source: Bruichladdich.