Bruichladdich 20 1992 Micro-Provenance Single Cask 017 Chateau d’Yquem Cask

Thanks to /u/throzen for sharing a dram of this one with me.

I’ve said it before, and I’ve said it again: Sauternes casks are not something I actively hunt for, as I feel the best ones I’ve had were given a long time in the cask, and previously given a long time in an ex-bourbon cask.

That’s expensive. Let’s be honest, you don’t know if the result will be great, or even good. So I’m asking someone to take an okay ex-bourbon older Scotch, and then an expensive Sauternes casks, dump it in, and then give it ever more time, hoping it doesn’t take over.

Come to think of it, that makes me one hell of a jerk. But we move on.

Bruichladdich 20 1992 Micro-Provenance Single Cask 017 Chateau d’Yquem Cask is from the single cask line at Bruichladdich, and the 12,000 bottling they’ve released upon the world, goading nerds into trying more and more of them, hoping to say they have had at least half.

This is a cask strength Scotch that was originally aged in ex-bourbon, and then had “additional cask evolution” in a Chateau d’Yquem cask. I assume this involves Dr. Oak, and him finding out your gender as part of it. Maybe even a kids game as part of it, and a variety of activities that had Michael Vick put away.

So I’m picky. But I like Bruichladdich. They got moxy. Let’ see how this tastes, shall we?

Price: N/A at the LCBO

Region: Islay

Distilled Strength: 63.5%

Filled: 29.04.92

Bottled: 15.06.12

Original Cask: Bourbon

Additional Cask Evolution: Chateau d’Yquem Cask

Cask No: 017

Warehouse: 12

Position: D10

Warehouse Type: Earthen Floor. Traditional Stowage

Bottle Number: 266

Abv: 52.8%

Colour: 2.5Y 8/8

Nose: Honey, grapefruit, funk, grass, lemon, peanut, caramel

Initial nose of honey. Well, my bias is in, let’s wrap this one up people!

Joking aside, it opens up to acidic, funk, and nuttiness. Nothing here is like a normal ex-Sauternes whiskies I’ve had before.

It’s not going too complex: It does have that funk though. Funk wins me over. I didn’t expect funk, like someone in the 70s who visits a good dance club for the first time.

Taste: Peanut, honey, funk, lemon candy

Less kitchen sink. A lot less. Going from a sundae with everything to a vanilla ice cream scoop. With a regular cone. Because paying less than a dollar more for a sugar cone is a smart idea (this is sarcasm, it’s never a smart idea).

More honey, more peanuts, and that really good funk. Less stuff though, so I’m not as happy.

Finish: Funk, pepper, algae, popcorn, caramel, oak, mushroom

And it ramps back up: That funk keeps on coming, showing up as mushroom and algae vegetation.

Lovely caramel. It’s partially “ho hum” with simple caramel and pepper. Then it has some nice, corn elements, sweets, and that funk. At first I’m not too into it, then I keep drinking it more and more and wanting more of it.

Conclusion: This whisky won’t blow you away, but it’ll work it’s ass off to actually make you enjoy it. And you will. You won’t even notice that you’re still drinking it.

I wasn’t the only one. This is that kid who used to be annoying for all of primary school, and then BAM! High school guy and you’re hanging out with him all the time. Or she’s that one person no one hates.

It has a funk to it, a lovely insane nose, and a finish that grows on you, like the mold it seems to have. Pick up a dram and try some, it’s worth it.

82/100

Scotch review #881, Islay review #223, Whisky Network review #1404