Bruichladdich is replacing their existing 15 year old whisky with a new 16 year old. This new 16 year old is aged entirely in used bourbon barrels. The price is expected to be about $100. According to the press release I just received, it is expected to be part of the Laddie portfolio until 2011.
Here is the press release I received:
Bruichladdich has released an all American Classic with French royal family and a revolutionary war connections – The Bourbon 16.
New Bourbon laws, when US Prohibition ended in 1933, stated casks must be used just once before being sold off. Today redundant Bourbon barrels represent about 97% of casks used for maturing Scotch whisky. Their influence on Scotch is enormous.
These casks are made from Quercus Alba, white oak, also known as American Oak from the Ozark mountains of Missouri and Kentucky. Tyloses, or cellular growths, make this oak more water-tight meaning it can be machine-worked, use thinner staves, reducing coopering costs.
“Our American Classic, the Bourbon 16”, says MD Mark Reynier, “makes a great contrast to our French oak “First Growth” series.
“We wanted to reaffirm the American connection: The end of Prohibition changed not only America but the flavour of Scotch Whisky. “Scotch and American whiskies are historically linked. It’s a symbiotic cycle: we gave them distilling, so they can sell us cheap casks.”
Immigrant Scots started distilling in the US shortly after the American War of Independence in a newly established (1785) county - Bourbon. It was called Bourbon in homage to the French royal family, in recognition of their help in the battle against the English.
Just four years later the French Revolution started. America’s national spirit was nearly called Napoleon.
When I get a review sample, I’ll let you know my thoughts.
I’m sorry but this seems to be nothing more than a huge smoke and mirror marketing ploy. Bourbon aged? Geez, what word will they use a fancy synonym description for next?
And for $100? Why doesn’t Laddie go see how many PC6 are still gathering dust at a ridiculously priced $130.
cut the demand and cut the crap.
And what are the “French royal family and revolutionary war connections?” I kind of agree with lawschool…according to the release, this would appear to replicate 97% of all 16 year old scotch.
Sam, I put up the remainder of the press release, which I didn’t include before. Maybe it will help tie up the loose ends.
adjusting for Reynier & McEwan’s always expansive verbal floral waterfalls + the neverending need to dispose of as much of the remaining inherited less than stellar stock before it’s counterfeited by the maturing masterpieces, i’d think everybody’d be happy for a NON”ACED” expression in th’already way past recordbook ongoing “regular” portfolio. just imagine= if they put even a fraction of the song & dance we’ve all come to know/love into th’new stuff, our blossoming whisky paradise may actually become too good for words^
[...] 18, 2008 As a Marketing professional, I feel obliged to respond to the seeming outrage (even “anger”) at the audacity of Bruichladdich in announcing a new expression. First, [...]
It’s all perception at the end of the day.
I personally bought the Laddie Bourbon 16 yesterday and I can attest it is tasting leather and tobacco in a way that is delicious and faint on the vanilla for a long time. Bottom line: it is worth every penny of it. Same thing for the PC6.
You’ll have a hard time finding something as unique, tasty, complex, audacious and original as both the Bruichladdich Bourbon 16 and the PC series.
Cheers!