Bruichladdich The Ternary Project

At the time of writing down my tasting notes, not much was known about this whisky. The answer hides in the number three. Three vintages, three malts and three types of casks. Meet the Ternary project from Bruichladdich. 

In this simple statement, there's a bit more to it than meets the eye. Three decades means there is some whisky of the pre-Mark Reynier era. Before a group of investors around Mark Reynier saved Bruichladdich from oblivion in 2000 - 2001, the distillery got mothballed in 1994. 

"Three malts" is fairly straightforward. The Ternary project is a vatting of unpeated Bruichladdich, heavily peated Port Charlotte and super heavily peated Octomore. "Three types of casks "could mean anything although with a small peek on the core range, it could boil down to bourbon casks, sherry casks and (red) wine casks. 

"I love the opportunity to throw out any framework and delve into the warehouses. Here, I've crossed the boundaries of spirit type, combining Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore single malts. Each intricate component is a complex recipe in its own right." - Adam Hannett -

But let's dive straight into the glass, shall we? 

Identity Card Bruichladdich The Ternary Project

• Official bottling from Bruichladdich Distillery
• Multivintage single malt
• Vatting of Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore
• Alcohol: 52.1% ABV

Tasting notes

Colour: Copper. The texture seems very light with fast legs. 

Nose: Very layered. Nutty flavours mingle with figs, dates, chocolate and cumin. Mezcal style smoke, coconut and balsamic vinegar. Bread pudding with rum. Vanilla and musk, old furniture and sandalwood. The oh so British Christmas pudding with aniseed. 
With water: More sherry flavours. Think of a blend of oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry. Raisins, dates, butterscotch and rum. 

Taste: Dry and medicinal. Pepper, a whiff of smoke and nut oil. Dried chilis and fruits. Marmalade, black tea, leather and sulfur. 
With water: Sweet smoke. More woody flavours and Pedro Ximenez. 

Finish: A long warm finish packed with fruit and leather. 

Three is the (lucky) number. A worthy successor to the Bruichladdich 3D - a vatting from Bruichladdich, Octomore and Port Charlotte bottled in early nillies. It's a prime example of aged Bruichladdich with some Port Charlotte and Octomore thrown in for good measure.

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