The second edition bottling of 18 year old of Bruichladdich Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky has just been bottled and is leaving Islay for the first time. It was designed  to compliment  the original 18 year old bottling matured in American oak then refined in Willi Opitz’s Austrian sweet wine casks - which too quickly sold out.

Equally, this 2nd edition has matured for 18 years in American oak. It too has spent time in sweet wine, French oak casks -  but this time from the Pyrenean appellation of Jurançon. This small, little-known French appellation, hidden away in the mountains, produces a decadently sweet wine from the obscure Petit Manseng grape late-harvested in November.

Mark Reynier, Bruichladdich MD “Obtaining mellow, sweetness from oak is nothing new; Sherry is not the only sweet wine in the world.  But it beats the hell out of using E150. The first bottling went so fast, we wanted a subtle contrast with this new version,  while retaining the toasted French oak nose, voluptuously mellow body and hint of tropical fruit.
 
“The answer was Charles Hours’ Clos Uroulat casks. Great quality, under-used French oak, saturated with rich botrytis honey notes,  hints of butterscotch, mango and pineapple. And boy it’s a cracker: balance, harmony, complexity, fruit, body - this has it all - and a deliciously golden hue to match, reflected by the alluring colours of the tin design.”