Bruichladdich 8 yo 2010/2019 ‘Bere Barley’ (50%, OB, ex-bourbon American oak)
Distilled entirely from a 2009 batch of Bere barley grown on Orkney. Bere is an ancient, six-row varietal of barley that has been cultivated in Scotland since at least the 8th century. It’s notoriously difficult to work with in distilleries compared to more contemporary varietals, generally leading to porridge-like mashes and far lower yields. However, results at Arran and Bruichladdich so far suggest it makes a pretty characterful whisky... Colour: straw. Nose: quite a profound divergence from the previous two. This is going up another level again in terms of texture and fattiness. There’s also more green fruits - gooseberry, apple, green banana - and more sweetness in the form of honey and golden syrup. Wee touches of camphor, mint tea, eucalyptus, hessian, dusty malt bins and yellow flowers. I really love this profile - big, generous, complex and sinewy. With water: oily, sooty, esters, citrus pith, lightly carbolic, sheep wool, earth and increasingly coastal with things like sandalwood and seashells. Mouth: that’s the thing about Bere - it’s just so different. There are aspects here which nod towards world whiskies such as this really punchy, bready spiciness like pumpernickel. But there’s other aspects too. Coal dust, hessian, olive oil, grass, nutmeg, lime pith, waxed canvas and various scattered mineral qualities. I find it both highly entertaining and pleasurable. With water: pah! Superb complexity. Oily, estery fruits, autolytic, spicy, camphor and farmhouse cider with some more canvas, gorse and saline minerals. Finish: long, lemony, salty, slightly waxy and mineral. Comments: Who was it that said barley varieties don’t make a difference...?
SGP: 662 - 90 points!

https://whiskylovingpianist.wordpress.com/2019/12/29/malt-n-copper-christmas-2019/

Serge: ‘Bere gives you a yield that’s less than the half of that of classic barley‘ [WF].

N: Citrus-y and grassy with many different grasses in various states. I also find it coppery at times with light nondescript fruits.

T: Tastes like it smells with pears, bananas and a hint of smoke. More grassiness on the palate leads to a dry mouthfeel. What I’m missing is an expected waxiness I remember from previous Bere Barley releases such as the 2006 vintage [WB86[92]/WF90]. 

F: A touch butyric, resinous and short overall. The rest rings true.

C: This reminds me of the very acceptable-yet-forgettable [bourbon cask-matured btw], 18yo Glenfarclas [WB]. ‘Disappointing’ was the consensus on the night from many of us who remember and lament previous Bere Barely releases.

Color: Mellow Gold

Nose: Candied fruit, sweet syrups, barley. So far, it has the hallmarks of younger Bruichladdich that hasn't been treated with intense sherry or wine. You can tell it's going to be a big experience on the palate just from this nose. With more time in the glass, the really overtly sweet notes start to recede a bit and maybe a bit of citrus (sourness) asserts itself.

Taste: The 50% strength is a virtue here, like it is in a lot of the Laddie bottlings. There's no real heat present, and the mouthfeel is slightly thicker than average, but not much. Just like the nose, the palate is big on fruit, but once you get beyond the initial burst of flavor, it's the grain elements that really start to stand out. What's more, they're not just simple, easy breads. These are strongly-flavored grains. Indeed, it starts working towards bitter notes, which is kind of amazing considering where the nose and palate started. Complex development, to say the least. Water strips off some of the sweeter notes, making it more like a mixture of rich cereals and olive oil.

Finish: Cooling, minty.

Comments: This checks a lot of boxes for me and likely many other enthusiasts. Much like Springbank, Bruichladdich just does so much "right" overall that it's hard not to be slightly biased towards each expression both by overall reputation and general affection for the brand. That's doubly so here, because the idea of experimenting with barley varieties and seeing the effect on the quality of the whisky is extremely timely given the homogenization that so much of scotch whisky has fallen prey to over the past generation. Going to the actual merits of the whisky, this also holds a lot of appeal for me. I have a real love for big whiskies that don't rely upon peat or sherry. Although some of the notes, e.g., fresh fruit forward, may belie it, this is actually quite a big whisky. Loads of character. When you also factor in age and price, this is a huge recommend.

A funky mixture. Pickles and orchard fruits, minerals and also salty nuts. Probably not one for everyone. Full review (in German): https://keinehalbendrinks.de/2019/10/24/bruichladdich-im-original/

he first of which is the Bere Barley 2010 – this edition was distilled from Bere Barley, which used to be more popular in the day, but not currently as it’s a low-yield barley strain as opposed to more modern barley strains. Bere barley is one of the most interesting grains still cultivated in the modern day. The antecedents of Bere reach back to the dawn of Scottish agriculture, around 4,500 years ago. The Bere Barley used for this whisky was grown in four farms on Orkney ( Weyland & Watersfield, Richmond Villa, Quoyberstane and Northfield), and was aged entirely in ex-bourbon American oak casks.

Nose: Quite a lot of cereals on the first whiff, with a nice oaty note, and some fresh dough. The fruit comes immediately after with pear drops, apple peel and more orchard fruit (mainly peaches, and apricots), there’s also a light waxy note which I quite like. It’s also vegetal and creamy at times with vanilla, and is undoubtedly bruichladdich with this funk I can’t quite describe.

Palate: Sweet and creamy with vanilla and youthful notes of apples / pear , then some more of the orchard fruit (peach), lemon and also a nice woody note, with bitter sweet chocolate / cocoa combination , and some wood spice / tannins. Powerful palate indeed.

Finish : Apple , pear vanilla and wood spices, and quite a lot of freshly ground pepper, a nice interplay of sweet and bitter coffee grounds.