Bruichladdich distillery is relaunching its heavily-peated Port Charlotte single malt whisky this May with a range of new expressions.


The Islay distillery is set to introduce four new whiskies under the Port Charlotte brand: Port Charlotte 10, Islay Barley 2011, MRC:01, and MC:01.

Each expression in the new range has been made from barley peated to 40ppm, and is presented in an opaque green glass bottle as ‘a nod to the heavily-peated Islay category’, with black labels.

Port Charlotte 10-year-old marks the first permanent introduction of an aged-stated bottling in the brand’s history, and will replace the current multi-vintage Port Charlotte Scottish Barley.

The expression, which is bottled at 50% abv and uses only Scottish barley, has been matured in first-fill American oak, refill American oak and refill French wine casks.

It will be available in domestic markets around the world, as well as in duty-free for around £50 for a 70cl bottle, and is described as having smoky sweet notes of ‘coconut, vanilla custard, lemon honey, smoke oysters and sun baked salty sand’.

Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2011 is a new vintage comprised of whisky produced from barley grown on three Islay farms – Dunlossit, Sunderland and Kilchiaran. Bottled at 50% abv, the whisky has been matured in mostly first-fill American oak with some whisky aged in refill Syrah and Merlot wine casks. It will be available globally for around £60 per 70cl bottle.

Port Charlotte MRC:01 is a limited edition expression distilled in 2010, and matured in ex-wine casks from Bordeaux. Bottled at 59.2% abv, it will be available in domestic markets around the world for £90 per bottle.

Lastly, Port Charlotte MC:01 is a limited 2009 vintage matured in Marsala casks, which has been bottled at 56.3% abv and will be available in travel retail only. Its price is yet to be confirmed.

Douglas Taylor, CEO of Bruichladdich distillery, said: ‘Our distillery project is built around certain key principles which drive everything we do. The authenticity, provenance and transparency of our spirit is paramount.

‘Ultimately, we are a collective of like-minded people, passionate about this island and the single malt whisky we make here.’

Find out more at the brand’s website here