EYE / NOSE
Old gold. The malt runs heavy and oily through the glass, thick drops form long, wide strips on the edge of the glass. The BA8 would be perfect for a demonstration of the typical 'Bands of Gold' from the warehouse tasting.
A little alcohol leads to the nose, despite the low alcohol content. This is followed by spices, vanilla and fruity sweetness. The baseline of the very interwoven aromas is again sweet and somewhat vinous, as we know it from earlier Black Arts. Good start!

PALATE
First impression ... strong without biting. Very pleasing with 45.1% ABV. Then come oak seasoning, white pepper, again vanilla, some orange liqueur and heather honey. Overall a very fresh character that the malt conveys. With 26 years of maturation it could have turned out differently. The oak flavor seems more intense on the palate than in previous BAs. The malt still looks balanced, but not quite as complex as a Black Art 4.

FINISH / CONCLUSION
Long finish, I have the typical Laddie grain notes, but I don't find pastries here. Then sugary sweetness and a woody bitterness reminiscent of dark chocolate and pipe tobacco. Pickled fruits complete the impression without being able to name the fruits individually. Apricots, mandarins, lychees, then it stops. Do I have to do it again with more leisure. Amazingly sweet in the finish, only towards the very end does the wood penetrate you very much into the foreground. Like a mixture of BA4 & BA6, I make a note of it, whereby it does not really come close to the quality of the Black Arts 4 and 2, which for me mark the top of the series so far. After all, apart from the oak, there are no discernible missing notes.

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By far the worst Black Art ever!

I don't even bother to write notes for this. I'm totally annoyed by Bruichladdich that they are releasing such overpriced garbage at an outrageous price !!!

If I would not have to work for the money I can spend on whisky, this is easily a 9/10 or 90.
Its vibrant in the mouth and its short finish is very pleasant (tiny hints of redbreast 21 gummi droppy style).
Nose is, well, quite flat for me.

As I have to pay for most of my drams and this one is.. expensive... I aim more for the 88.
Wich is still a superb rating, but nothing I am totally panic byuing another bottle from.

The mentioned 4.1 collects around 300€ right now... so 15€ cheaper, aim for that instead (even though it means more competition for me there)

Unfortunately, surprisingly boring and interchangeable. You hardly notice the age. It does not come close to the “magic” of the 4 Series, which for me represents the benchmark of the series so far.
He lacks complexity, expressiveness and sophistication here. It's a shame, the sample is enough for me

(Tasted blind)
NOSE: Browned butter, dried wood, some brown and dried fruits. Needs time to fully unfold. Nice. (89p)
TASTE: Medium sweet wood, more browned butter, dried brown fruits (87-88p)
EXIT: Dry, light tannic bitterness, also a touch of fruity wine acidity (88p)
SCORE: 88 points.

Nose: Pleasantly fruity sweetness with floral tones. Peach / apricot. Definitely weaker than some of its predecessors and also less complex. Vanilla and oak in the background.
Mouthfeel: Very pleasant, mild mouthfeel. Medium weight on the tongue.
Taste: Also slightly sweet. Significantly more oak. Fruitiness but rather fresh fruits such as fresh apples, pears. Spice and a hint of tobacco.
Finish: oak and spice now dominate with a slight residual sweetness. Relatively long but unfortunately boring finish.
Conclusion: Relatively pale compared to its predecessors. Better than 06.1 but significantly worse and less complex than 05.1, 04.1 and 07.1.