TAR AND FEATHERS – Score: 3/10
As a pioneer in wine cask maturation, the Bruichladdich distillery has cultivated an extensive network within the winemaking industry, particularly in France. The fact that the distillery is owned by a French group (Rémy Cointreau) has undoubtedly facilitated its access to prestigious estates—such as the Mouton-Rothschild cask used for the maturation of this Port Charlotte.
For those in need of a reminder, the Bruichladdich house is divided into three distinct ranges: Bruichladdich for unpeated whiskies, Port Charlotte for peated expressions (up to 50 ppm), and Octomore for those that exceed (often dramatically) that threshold.
The Port Charlotte in question is the MRC (Mouton-Rothschild Cask). From the very first nosing, it is strikingly aggressive, with overwhelming notes of tar dominating the aroma.
On the palate, this intensity persists, with tar asserting itself alongside stewed wine, licorice, and heady peat. A pronounced note of molten plastic emerges abruptly before giving way to a heavy, woody, and meaty finish reminiscent of a simmering stockpot.
