Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley

A Tasty Dram Whisky Blog tasting notes

The Classic Laddie is the entry malt whisky from Bruichladdich. After its predecessor The Laddie Classic Edition and the now rather rare 10 year old (see it, snatch it!), this 100% Scottish barley whisky has become the flagship of the unpeated Laddie brand. The use of only Scottish barley is one of the cornerstones of the terroir religion followed by Bruichladdich.

The funky apple blue sea green colour that defines Bruichladdich never fails to draw a reaction from people. Either you're a fan of the colour (Bruichladdich calls it Aqua) or you're not. The origin of the colour is rather simple and a tad poetic. The inspiration was very nearby: it's the colour of the sea just out the distillery on a bright spring day.

The Classic Laddie has been subject to the renewed transparency debate (reawakened by Compass Box a few months ago). Bruichladdich gives its customers the opportunity to acquire additional details on the vatting of their own bottle of Classic Laddie.


Identity Card Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie

    Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie
  • The Classic Laddie Scottish barley
  • Bruichladdich Distillery, Loch Indaal (Islay)
  • Multi-vintage NAS single malt
  • 50% ABV
  • Batch 14/345

Tasting notes

Colour: The liquid is all natural in colour and sports a beautiful golden hue. The legs - or tears if you like - are fast and thin. The fairly high 50% ABV (for a standard bottling) surely has something to do with it.

Nose: Chestnut honey and violet flowers. A flower greenhouse with citrus trees. Lemon and cactus juice. Whiffs of milk chocolate with almonds. A tiny hint of disinfectant or rubbing alcohol. Potting soil enriched with peat. Line seed crackers.

At 50% alcohol it can easily handle a teaspoon of water. The Laddie gets a lot fruitier. Dates mixed with soy milk or almond milk. Olive oil infused with fresh green herbs. Certainly tarragon and a touch of mint. Pancakes with banana.

Taste: The start brings lots of bitter oak refreshed by citrus and honey. Fresh and sweet at the same time. Some old fashioned bubble gum. Fruit tea with bits of apricot. The texture is light and maybe even a little sparkling. Apple- and banana fritters.

With water there's sweet buttermilk with brown sugar. Some bitter oak and lemon peel emerges with dried apricots.

Finish: Apricot and green boiled sweets.

The Classic Laddie recipe
The complete recipe of my bottle of Classic Laddie.
Hurray for transparency! picture: Bruichladdich.com

Bruichladdich is one of my favourite brands, not because they have fancy names or huge marketing budgets. But I believe their terroir story and transparency. You always find tons of information on the bottlings and their website: from the farmer to the name of the field to the story of the barley variety in some cases. Their Instagram account is also worth following for a virtual peek inside the distillery, on the island and its people.

It would be wrong to compare the Classic Laddie with the much missed Laddie Ten. You like your whisky light, floral and fruity, get one sito presto. And the empty bottle makes a great vase for a minimal flower arrangement in the kitchen.

Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie Scottish Barley



Price: £38.95 at The Whisky Exchange

Source and pictures: Bruichladdich

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