Port Charlotte 2009 MC : 01 Cask Exploration Series 9 yo

 

 

 

56,3°

Distillery : Bruichladdich - Islay

American and French Oak Casks, Marsala Finish

Original Bottling 

Travel Retail Edition 

Single Malt 

Bottled in 2018

Unchillfiltered, Uncoloured, Cask Strength

Peated around 40 ppm

In the Cask Exploration Series, the distillery is presenting this edition finished in Marsala, a Sicilian liqueur wine. It is certainly a dry red Marsala.

 

Let's Taste It :

The Marsala initially comes through a little too strongly, with vinous hints, fermented fruits and candied cherries. Then the peat rises, a bit granitic, and it's very balanced, sweet, with plum pulp, lemon zest, a scent of undergrowth, sandalwood leaf, damp grass, pungent smoke and green apple. The smoke is very present at the end. A dash of fruits nonetheless. On the palate, it's excellent, wood and marsala combine, wine lees, blackberry liqueur, spices are present, then red fruits, the finish, all controlled power, on strawberry and raspberry, very long, almost gooseberry at the end, then wood and earth. Black earth, waterlogged. Blackcurrant. Mentholated cigarettes.

 

In Short, 

I am very impressed. The Marsala works like an even tastier sherry, and marries very well with the Port Charlotte peat. A real delight.

Score : 90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                          To Be Listened While Sipping :

   

                                          Peter Gabriel - Signal To Noise