Tasting notes: Bruichladdich Festival Bottling 2012


XX NOSTALGIA BAROLO OB 20 yo

Colour ~ Rich Amber, Burnished Gold.

Legs fall in short elongated droplets close together. Visually, the liquid looks thin.

Nose ~ Burnt Sugar ~ alcohol catches inside of your nose, then on the back of the throat. Fresh and green aromas from the right nostril. Then watery waves smell, the sea. Underlying cake, then underneath, something brown and rolling ~ leathery, briney. It’s rich and thick, sugary and earthy with a hint of fresh green and grassiness.

Taste ~ Medicinal at the top of the finish. Short finish. Smells rich and thick and tastes much drier and thinner.

2nd nose ~ really sweet with sharp darker notes, ~ a bit metallic.

3rd nose ~ oakey ~ metallic

Taste with water ~ sweeter floral notes, vegetation, honey. All in the middle. Metallic, with very green finish.

4th nose ~ metallic, tarry, burnt dark sugar

Mouthfeel ~ very dry. Is this due to the Barolo finish, as this wine can be classed as very dry?

This dram is aced in a Gaja Barolo wine cask ~ a Sperss cask. The word ‘sperss’ is Piedmontese for NOSTALGIA ~ hence the name of the Whisky. It is the name Gaja gave to the vineyard when they bought it in 1988. ‘Aced’ is Jim McEwan’s innovative way of putting whisky in various casks for a short space of time ~ 2 weeks, 2 days…… whatever he feels will add to the dram.

Gaja is an Italian wine producer from the Piedmonte region in the district of Langhe (being the plural of Langa, the local word for a hill) who chiefly produces a number of Barbaresco and Barolo wines. Barolo wines are sometimes called the king of wines and the wine for kings.

Bottle ~ Looks excellent, gold label, huge lettering, funny metal dog tag.

Large base bottle. A huge gold label covers lots of the bottle.

This is a bottle with bling and looks sexy and strong and young.

Dram Architecture ~ a sensation dram.

Thanks to The Lochside Hotel for sponsoring this Whisky for Girls tasting notes. Check out their Whisky Lounge with its large selection of Islay (and other) malts. http://www.lochsidehotel.co.uk/Islay_Lochside/Home.html