August 7, 2014

Port Charlotte, a verticale
that’s almost horizontal

Ah, Port Charlotte! The former new owners, that is to say Mark Reynier and gang, have been distilling this peated version of Bruichladdich since the reopening in 2001, and have sold quite a few casks of new fillings to private individuals and bottlers alike. Many are now coming out since a few years, and most of them are just excellent in my opinion. Let’s see how many of them we can find today, starting with the lower strengths (rather than the older ones)…

Port Charlotte 11 yo 2002/2013 (46%, The Coopers Choice, hogshead, cask #1015, 460 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: it’s the purity that stands out here, and I guess the moderate strength helps. Narrow, but wonderful combination of seawater, grapefruit juice, smoked tea and damp gravel. That’s all folks, but the balance is just perfect. Mouth: same. A crystal-clean, mineral, smoky and zesty arrival that definitely hints at Islays south shore, without any form of feintiness or eau-de-vie-ness. So fully mature. I also love the development on green olives with their brine. Superb. Finish: same, maybe not too long – its no fatty peat monster – but again, it’s all crystal-clean and void of any sugariness. Comments: I especially love the absence of sweetness. Very solid sharpy stuff. SGP:457 - 90 points.

Port Charlotte 9 yo 2004/2014 (46%, The Coopers Choice, hogshead, cask #1032, 330 bottles)

This one’s been reviewed by the very excellent Ralfy (whisky review #464) and it’s even a sample from his own cupboard. Colour: straw. Nose: it’s a rounder version, not that it’s any more fat or sweet, it’s simply fruitier, and a notch less briny/smoky than the 2001. Just a notch… So more grapefruit, maybe white peaches as well, as well as an intriguing wee combination of menthol and myrtle. All the rest is appropriately smoky. Mouth: a bit more ‘brutal’ than the 2001, a tad rougher, with more bitter grasses, perhaps. Other than that, it’s brilliant youngish Islay whisky again. Maybe rather gherkins and capers instead of olives this time at the vegetable department. Finish: long, briny, smoky. A touch of sour lemon in the aftertaste. Comments: more ‘artisan’ than then 2001, maybe because of the younger age, but overall qualities are just identical in my book. Let’s check Ralfy’s score… right, 90, that will be my score as well. SGP:467 - 90 points.

What else do we have at 46% vol.?...

Port Charlotte 12 yo 2002/2014 (46%, Royal Mile Whiskies, rum barrel, 308 bottles)

This little baby comes from Ralfy’s bothy too. Colour: pale gold. Nose: I believe rum’s often difficult to detect. I mean, one can feel that there’s obviously something different, but it’s not always easy to say that it’s rum for sure. Especially sweet wines can impart similar aromas. Now of course, if you use an ex-Caroni cask, or a Jamaican, that’ll be easier. Anyway, there is something candied indeed, a few raisins, a peatiness that’s seriously toned down and an overall softer profile, smoother, rounder… It’s far from being unpleasant, it’s just much… gentler. Mouth: well its not that gentle. The palate’s bigger again, the sweetness not that big, and a grassy peatiness just takes over after a few seconds. Same grassy/smoky profile as in the first Cooper’s, but it’s a little less precise. Less ‘wow’, if I may. Finish: long, with touches of candy sugar again but I wouldn’t call that ‘rum’. Something leafy. Comments: truly excellent, but I’m missing the immediacy and the ‘evidence’ of both Cooper’s a bit. SGP:566 - 85 points.

Let’s have an official if you don’t mind…

Port Charlotte 'Scottish Barley' (50%, OB, +/-2013)

No age statement this time, rather an indication that not all barley usually comes from Bonnie Scotland. No new news… Colour: straw. Nose: it’s obviously younger than all the others, since there’s quite some roughness that’s climbing up your nostrils. The barley is more obvious, there is a feeling of smoked porridge, there’s also more ‘active’ oak (fresh), touches of green bananas, vanilla, then the expected brine… Globally, it noses a bit like some younger whisky from more active oak. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s a different concept. Mouth: a creamier mouth feel and again, more oak. That also means more herbs here, more mint, cough medicine, then a little honeydew, orange liqueur, liquorice, green tea. So a different profile indeed. With water: the oak comes out more, but that works. Makes me think of Ardbeg’s latest, in a way. Finish: rather long, still creamy. Sweet oak, fir honey, vanilla, toffee, peat. Comments: sweet and young but very good, very good but young. Oh well… SGP:556 - 85 points.

Hold on, I found another one at 46% vol…

Port Charlotte 10 yo 2001/2011 (46%, OB, private bottling for Ralf Lapan, sherry hogshead, cask #282, 422 bottles)

And another one from the first, almost seminal vintage of Port Charlotte. Colour: gold. Nose: what? Lagavulin 16? I’m not joking, it’s got this combination of new wellies, rubber bands and tarmac that could be found in older Lagavulins, except that there’s also quite some gunpowder in this PC. The whole works perfectly well, especially since more oranges and tobacco do come out after five seconds. Traipsing round an old ironmonger’s, circa 1950 (I imagine…) Mouth: great!!! Bitter and blood oranges, pepper, peat, cranberries, new rubber bands, retsina wine, iodine, potassium… It’s a little unusual but I really love it. Finish: long, with a huuuge saltiness. The ‘good’ rubber’s always there too. Comments: a rather spectacular one. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened, had this been bottled at the original strength. Now, I liked the crystal-clean ones even better. SGP:477 - 88 points.

Looking for another relatively gentler one (like hell!)…

Port Charlotte 11 yo 2002/2013 (54.7%, Maltbarn, sherry cask, 78 bottles)

Colour: deep gold. Its not one of these sherry monsters/bloodtubs/whatever. Nose: we’re a bit between both worlds here. The sherry’s obvious but I do not find any struck matches, nor do I find gunpowder. It’s rather chocolate that you feel, dried kelp, bitter oranges, tar ala old Ardbeg, smoked meats, a new pack of beef jerky, a lot of soot and ashes… Great. With water: becomes leathery. Green tea and old well-taken-care of leather jacket. Mouth (neat): absolutely huge, starting a tad medicinal (antiseptic, eucalyptus) but with a massive saltiness, huge smoke and wheelbarrows of bitter oranges. There’s a bitterness that works very well here. Salted liquorice. With water: notes of iron coming out, silver spoon… And once again it got more leathery. Finish: long, rather grassy and now earthier. Comments: I wouldn’t say it swims like a champ on the palate, but otherwise, it’s just another great one. SGP:467 - 90 points.

And now… The Monsters!

Port Charlotte 2001/2013 (57.5%, Malts of Scotland, Rioja hogshead, cask #MoS 13027, 358 bottles)

A Rioja hogshead? What could that be? A hogshead made with staves from some ex-Rioja casks or a regular hogshead that’s been treated with wine from Rioja? Unless they’ve shipped some empty hogsheads to Spain and let some winemakers make/mature their wine in them? Bah, this is funny anyways. Colour: gold. Nose: this one’s very buttery and it’s got the same notes of rubber bands as… which one was it? Also a blend of seawater with olive oil, some liquorice wood, thuja wood, and then more and more freshly ground black pepper. Very unusual! With water: is someone chain-smoking menthol cigarettes in the neighbourhood? Or even beedies? Indonesian clove cigarettes? Mouth (neat): thick and oily, certainly better balanced and more ‘orthodox’ now, but what’s really striking is these huge notes of dried pears. All that is duly smoked, of course. Fun stuff. With water: gets more ‘regular’. Finish: long, saltier again. And the dried pears never gave up. Comments: of course one may ask ‘why?’ Maybe just for fun? I liked this one. Yes, Serge speaking. SGP:567 - 86 points.

Port Charlotte 2001/2013 (59.2%, Malts of Scotland, Warehouse Dram No.1, cask #MoS 13042, 145 bottles)

Colour: deep gold. Nose: balance! A lot of oil (graphite?), a lot of ashes and soot, a lot of iodine, quite some earth, quite some tobacco and leather, and quite some oranges. And all that fires on all cylinders. Probably more complex than others. With water: perfect brine aged in nutty oak. Or something like that. Mouth (neat): immense! Heavy lime and kumquats, plenty of hazelnut oil (yes, really) and loads of bitter almonds. All that is covered with bits of smoked fish (do not try this at home.) With water: ah, a perfect one. That doesn’t happen very often but what I prefer here is the mouth feel. Very oily and yet very complex. Finish: very long. Extremely long. Black olives, kippers and salted liquorice, all that smoothened up with chocolate sauce. Comments: some would be entitled to wonder if Charlotte wouldn’t be the new Ellen. SGP:568 - 92 points.

… but let’s try to find even heavier hitters…

Port Charlotte 10 yo 2002/2012 (59.7%, Adelphi for Daracha, Norway, Rivesaltes finish, cask #1168, 488 bottles)

A Rivesaltes finish for Norway? How unlikely is that? Why not a herring finish for the South of France? (S., please!) Colour: deep gold. Nose: it’s very strong. Not too sure I can nose the sweet Rivesaltes. What I rather get is a combo of bitter oranges, leather and cigars. Water please! With water: water doesn’t change anything. Leather and tobacco. Maybe a few farmyardy notes, horse saddle, soy sauce… Mouth (neat): very strong, but I’m afraid it seems to be quite nice. Sweet leather and pipe tobacco, with some salt. With water: darn, a little soap is coming out. But after five minutes, it’s almost gone, leaving a palate that’s full of ashes and tobacco. And leather. Finish: very long, with the salt coming to the front. Salted almonds. Comments: I’m not too sure. Conservatory score. SGP:477 - 80 points.

Port Charlotte 10 yo 2002/2012 (60%, Adelphi for Daracha, Norway, sherry hogshead, cask #1162, 442 bottles)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: I’m not too sure either. There are some great parts (Barbour grease, fresh almonds and walnuts, waxed papers…) but other parts are a little bizarre. A mix of soap and ink? Let’s see what water can do to it… With water: rubber. Boots, bands and tyres. A little extreme, I’m not against a healthy dose of rubber in my peat monsters, but I find this a little ‘too much’. Mouth (neat): this is more like it. Grapefruits, salt, kippers, orange blossom honey and then a pretty massive dose of green pepper. Very strong stuff. With water: works. I especially enjoy all these almonds, salted, smoked, fresh, chilli-ed… Finish: long, salty, almondy. I wouldn’t claim there’s no rubber left. Comments: probably a polarising version. Loved some parts, didn’t like others too much. I also find these rather un-Adelphi. SGP:377 - 82 points.

Port Charlotte 10 yo 2003/2013 (60%, Alexander, Swisslink 007, fresh Port hogshead, cask #646, 341 bottles)

Right, it’s No.007 because it’s been distilled on 007.007.2003. Not kidding, that’s on the label. And yes it’s a Port hogshead. How could we be against all this (Swiss) fun? Colour: copper/salmon. Nose: ouch, ouch, ouch. This is too strong. Although I do get strawberries. Strawberries? And fino sherry, and vin jaune, old walnuts, mustard… With water: yess! Lovage, soy sauce, Maggi, leather, balsamico, Parmesan cheese (no, really)… I’m not saying gym socks, eh! Mouth (neat): absolutely massive. Some kind of extraterrestrial juice. Very thick mouthfeel, it’s not oil, it’s melted butter. With water: more sherry than Port if you ask me. Walnuts and all that, toasted brioche, speculoos, burnt herbs, sweet mustard, smoked meat… Finish: extremely long but a tad greener and grittier. Artichokes? Comments: this one was funny and fun. Totally unlikely but very funny. This needs to be rewarded, while some many new drams are becoming… a little boring. SGP:477 - 87 points.

No we aren’t done yet…

Port Charlotte 10 yo 2002/2012 (63.9%, OB, private bottling for Raz and Marti, fresh sherry hogshead, 151 bottles)

Almost 64% vol.? Please do your malty prayers, S.… Colour: dark amber. Nose: good, it’s one of those. Heavy chocolate, wood smoke, exhaust fumes, new leatherette and black pipe tobacco. With water: the fumes of a 3.8l Jaguar E-type. The red one with white leather seats. Or a Holland & Holland double express that just shot. Or Jimi Hendrix’s Marshall amp after a gig. Oh well, I may be tired… Mouth (neat): terrifyingly strong. Concentrated brine plus macerated ashes and tar, all that added to a blend of reduced Cointreau and liquorice extract. No, really, is this legal? What’s the SWA doing? With water: back to civilisation. Sort of. Chocolate and peat smoke plus a little ham. Finish: as long as a Fidel speech. Comments: I’m not sure this kind of very extreme whisky can be rated. But there… SGP:368 - 89 points.

Time to round this marathon off. I love all these Port Charlottes, but they can be very tiring. How many of them have we just tried? Nine? Ten? Twelve?... Here’s the next – and last - one…

Port Charlotte 8 yo 2001/2010 (66.8%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, refill bourbon barrel, #127.5, 243 bottles)

Another one from my good friend Ralfy. It’s a miracle that such an explosive liquid could cross the Channel without having alerted anyone at the Royal Mail, at the French Poste (probably on strike, ha), the Schengen people, the European Commission, François Hollande (no, that’s normal, he’s too busy with his demi-mondaines – I mean, actresses), the NSA, the Mossad, and even the mighty SWA. So since it made it onto WF’s tasting desk, well, let’s try it… But we may need a decompression chamber after this one… Colour: white wine. Nose: oh, but it’s not that strong! It’s rather like a blend of dry limoncello, almond oil, crushed sardines, mashed potatoes and light brine. Easy easy! With water: s.u.p.e.r.b. As pure as whisky can get, crystalline, with touches of white peaches and not-too-ripe melons in the background. We’re well at Bruichladdich. Mouth (neat): tsunamiesque, but superb! We’re actually very close to the very first PC we had in this little session, the 2001 Coopers Choice. Perfect brine, minerals, lemon juice, soot, ashes and kippers. A blade made out of crystal, Bruichladdich’s very tall stills have spoken. It just kills you a bit… With water: amazingly pure. (Wine freak stuff ahead) it reminds of Eric Nicolas’ Jasnières, at the Domaine de Bellivière (end of wine freak stuff.) Finish: long, and one of the cleanest ever. More grass, as often. Only the aftertaste is surprisingly sluggish, loses one point here. Comments: refill bourbon lets the spirit talk. As long as it’s got something to say, which was obviously the case here. SGP:358 - 91 points.

PS: Ralfy, are you 100% sure this is 100% legal?

Yeah, I think we’re done, more or less.

(With thanks to Ivar and Ralfy)

Check the index of all Port Charlotte I've tasted so far

Port Charlotte, a verticale that’s almost horizontal

Port Charlotte, a verticale
that’s almost horizontal