Port Charlotte has unveiled the latest expression in its coveted Cask Exploration series. Showcasing the profound influence that cask type and quality oak has on the final Islay single malt Scotch whisky, the heavily peated spirit has spent significant time in Syrah casks from a winery in the northern Rhône, France.
Port Charlotte SYC:01 marks the first time the heavily peated Islay spirit has matured in Syrah casks as part of the brand’s Cask Exploration series. A red wine renowned for being bold and full bodied, the Syrah cask maturation profile has imparted rich red fruit notes and layers of delicate spice to the final single malt whisky, complementing Port Charlotte’s signature peat smoke.
Cask exploration and experimentation have been an inherent part of Bruichladdich Distillery’s DNA since the distillery was re-established in 2001. With two former wine merchants at the helm, a plethora of casks have filled the distillery warehouses over the past two decades, with around 200 different wine varieties currently under the distillery’s guardianship on Islay.
“To have a wine cask inventory of this scale and variety is quite extraordinary,” says Adam Hannett, Bruichladdich Distillery head distiller. “We scour the globe to find the best wines available, and this in turn leads us to the highest quality oak and unparalleled flavour.”
“With Port Charlotte SYC:01, the immense influence of the Syrah casks is clear to see. It’s a balancing act to ensure the oak and the peat smoke work in perfect harmony and our versatile Port Charlotte spirit has worked amazingly well with the rich fruits and spice from the cask. The result is a multidimensional single malt whisky and something new and unique for Port Charlotte.”
Bottled at 54.4% ABV and malted to 40 PPM, the 2013 Port Charlotte spirit was initially filled into a combination of first fill (75%) and second fill (25%) bourbon barrels. In 2018 the spirit was re-casked into first fill Syrah wine casks. After four years and with the wine influence now at its peak, the spirit was re-casked into refill bourbon to allow the whisky to marry.
The Syrah casks for the latest release were sourced from a French producer specialising in the creation of organic and biodynamic wines. With an unwavering commitment to terroir, the producer puts soil, land, and climate at the heart of the wine making process to extract as much authentic flavour as possible – much like Bruichladdich Distillery’s own whisky making philosophy.
“Our unique positioning on Islay has a profound effect on the flavour of our whiskies” continues Adam Hannett. “Every single element, from the specific barley varietal used, to the exact cask maturation profile and positioning in our warehouse, plays a part in the final flavour.”
“Port Charlotte is a single malt whisky about place. With SYC:01, a subtle salinity is an omniscient reminder of the spirit’s all-island maturation. To marry this Islay spirit with wine casks borne of a similar commitment to land and region, elevates both the flavour and drinking experience.”
Bold and full bodied with aromatic notes of smoke and dark fruits, Syrah is an exceptional wine pairing with the heavily peated Port Charlotte spirit.
A tour de force of rich fruits and intense peat smoke, caramel sweetness is immediate on the nose, followed by gentle spices from the Syrah-soaked oak. Barbeque peat smoke and smoked oak coat the palate, punctuated with candied peel, fresh mango, and brown sugar. A gentle wave of smoke and Islay Sea air lingers on the finish, with a hint of coconut and cocoa powder bringing a rounded creaminess.
Port Charlotte SYC:01 is the seventh release in the Port Charlotte Cask Exploration series. Previous releases include: Port Charlotte MRC:01 (Pauillac cask maturation), MC:01 (Marsala cask maturation), OLC:01 (Oloroso cask maturation), PAC:01 (Pauillac cask maturation), SC:01 (Sauternes cask maturation) and PMC:01 (Pomerol cask maturation).
Port Charlotte SYC:01 is available to purchase now via bruichladdich.com or at selected specialist whisky retailers. Port Charlotte SYC:01 is priced at £110.
