A fascinating whisky from Progressive Hebridean Distillers, Bruichladdich.

This whisky is made with a kind of barley known as Bere – pronounced “Beer” or “Bear”. Bere is an ancient strain of grain, the origins of which date back to 4,500 years ago. For centuries, this barley variety was a staple cereal in the Scottish diet.

Bere is an unusual choice for a whisky distillery, as it is low yield, about 50% than the standard, modern day varieties. It does, however, offer a different flavour profile to those strains, and performs better in low acidity soils with a shorter warm season – perfect for northern Scotland.

The Bere for this bottling was taken from the Quoyberstane, Weyland & Watersfield, Richmond Vill and Northfield farms in Orkney. The botlting was distilled in 2010, using barley from the 2009 harvest.

Bruichladdich Bere Barley 2010 was aged for a minimum of 8 years in former Bourbon casks.

The result is a deeply malty and cereal forward dram, that offers up notes of oats, pear, peaches, lemon rind, meringue, honeyed oak, milk chocolate, classic Bruichladdich flowers, stewed apricots and slight maritime salinity.

Bottled at a stronger proof of 50% ABV and without chill filtration or colouration, this is a rich, assertive and natural dram.

• Product type
  Single Malt
• Distillery / brand
  Bruichladdich
• Country
  Scotland
• Region
  Islay
• Bottler
  Distillery Bottling
• Distillation date
  2010
• Age
  8 years old
• Non-chillfiltered
  Yes
• Natural colour
  Yes
• SKU
  039711