Review #: 371
Description: Bruichladdich The Laddie Valnich: #52 Julie McIntire
Spirit: Scotch
Background: This Laddie Valnich release is named for Julie McIntire and was distilled in 2009. It spent 11 years aging in Amarone casks. I had to look it up, and Amarone wine made from partially dried grapes in the north-east of Italy. I’ve had no experience with this wine or cask before so let’s see what it taste like and what influence it has.
Distillery – Bruichladdich
Bottler – Bruichladdich
Brand – Bruichladdich
Selection – N/A
ABV – 62%
Age – 11 Years
Nose – Brown butter, raw lumber, playdoh, stale fruit, ginger bread
Taste – Grape jelly, sweet vanilla, clove, ginger, espresso
Finish – Fruit gets a bit sour, drying wood, baking chocolate, spicy ginger
Score: 5
Would I buy a bottle? No
Thoughts: My first interaction with Amarone and especially compared to the sherry of the last review, it’s clear how different the influence of the casks is. The nose wasn’t something I particularly liked. I will say it opened up as I drank to be more enjoyable, but there was a DISTINCT playdoh note, and I wasn’t the kid trying to eat from the tubes. It had a sweet and savoriness to it but was still a bit straightforward and nothing super exciting to it. Certainly interesting and worth trying, though.