Reviews #79 & 80: Bruichladdich First Growth Cuvee A & B

This series put out by Bruichladdich is a series of 16 year old ex bourbon scotches finished in First Growth Bordeaux barrels. The first growths are Château Latour, Château Lafite, Château Margaux and Château Haut-Brion and Burichladdich "A" is Lafite and "B" is Latour. While I have yet to have a First Growth, I now get to enjoy a Whisky finished in one of their barrels.

Bruichladdich First Growth Cuvee A (Lafite)

Islay - 16 - NCF - NCA - Sample ($130 at the local if forced to guess) - 46%

Color - Russet

Nose - Big lactic notes, whipped cream laden with Tahitian vanilla, pear meringue, key lime pie

Taste - Red fruit and new wood. Cherry, touch of earth, wine tannin, cigar box - nice mouthfeel

Finish - Medium Long - Cherry, vanilla, custard, and cream - and a touch of raw wood

Overall - 5 - The nose does little to reveal the wine finish but it comes through in the palate with big cherry notes. I did enjoy the nose even though I am not a fan of lactic notes in general. The palate had nice wine notes, however, the finish was just off. There is a touch of wood and on the finish that seems out of place and distracts me. My guess is that is the Lafite barrel finish doesn't quite fit. It looks like if somebody offers me a bottle of Lafite, I will pour it down the sink.

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Bruichladdich First Growth Cuvee B

Islay - 16 - NCF - NCA - Sample ($130 at the local if forced to guess) - 46%

Color - Russet

Nose - Cream and cherry cough syrup on the first nose. Cherry, mushrooms, vanilla, creme caramel, as it opens up it gets more of that Bruichladdich signature vanilla cream nose. Lemon cakes and strawberry.

Taste - Red fruit, strawberry, custard, toffee, a bit of pepper

Finish - medium long - Strawberry, vanilla and cream

Overall - 6 - This is a nice dram that, unlike Cuvee "A", marries itself to the wine. It has a nice nose that seems to evolve. This has the signature Bruichladdich notes throughout but is balanced out from the wine. I find Bruichladdich too lactic for my tastes in general but the wine finish did a good job of balancing it out. If you are a fan of their style, I would recommend this as I thought it was very enjoyable and the wine finish married well with the spirit. Personally, I would go for Longrow Red over this, which I cannot help but compare it to.

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Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

10 Best in Show

9 Great Dram for Special Occasions

8 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

7 Worth picking up a bottle if in the mood

6 I would buy a bottle if it went on sale

5 I would drink it happily if offered

4 I would drink it if offered on the rocks

3 Maybe some soda will make this potable

2 I'll Pass

1 Toilet cleaner

Inclusive Ratings

Overall 6.1

Standard Deviation 0.93

Skew 0.66

Kurtosis -0.50

Islay 6.4 (29)

Bruichladdich 5.69 (9)