Review #592 - Bruichladdich Port Charlotte SC:01 2012
Part of Bruichladdich's 'Cask Exploration Series' - this Port Charlotte, distilled in 2012 and bottled at the beginning of 2022, carries a 9 year age statement. It spent that maturation time in 3 different types of casks: ex-bourbon casks, ex-sherry casks, and especially French oak Sauternes Casks - that's where we get our 'SC' name.
The barley used for this release is actually local (Islay) barley - Bruichladdich partnered with farmers within 10 miles of their distillery. After the harvest and malting, this barley was peated to a level of 40ppm, landing it firmly in 'heavily peated' territory.
Bruichladdich always gives us high-quality bottling specifications: no caramel coloring is added, this whisky isn't chill filtered, and we get a high strength of 55.2% ABV.
Bruichladdich Port Charlotte SC:01 2012
Scotland/Islay - Single Malt
Price: USD 115 (2025)
Age Statement: 9 Years
Strength: 55.2% ABV
Cask Makeup: Ex-bourbon and ex-sherry, finished in ex-Sauternes casks
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled 2012
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 13 months; bottles at 90%, 70%, and 60% fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Very buttery - buttered croissants, then golden apple and hay, some soft pear. We get fizzy lemon-lime soda, sweet custard, as well as a light floral/grassy note; mineral notes, honey, and a bit of agave build in strength. The peat smoke has moderate strength - not overpowering, but always present.
Palate: A thick mouthfeel, with medium to strong peat smoke up front; that's accented by a bit of wood spice or wood smoke, as well as cinnamon and charcoal. Sweeter flavors come next: buttered pastries, golden raisin, apples, and then some darker raisin. Time brings more creamy flavor like creme brulee, and we end with Asian pear.
Finish: Green apple and golden apple, and a decent amount of peat lingers - it also takes on an ashy, spicy note. There's nice balance between smoke and sweet flavors, and we get dried grass in the aftertaste; it's a long finish.
Final Note: There's excellent flavor density here - very, very good single malt whisky. Peat is relatively strong, of course, but it never overwhelms the experience - plenty of complexity with the creamy baking notes, fruit flavors, and other accents. There's a good balance of spirit influence and cask influence as well - another excellently made whisky from Bruichladdich.
Value here is just above average - this can be a slightly expensive bottle to buy now, as it was a limited production run that was released a few years ago, but the level of flavor is so great, it's worth seeking out a bottle.
Our Average Rating: 8.2 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 6.58
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
