NEW HEAVILY PEATED, CASK EXPLORATION SPECIAL ‘PORT CHARLOTTE PAC:01 2011’ RELEASED FROM BRUICHLADDICH DISTILLERY
Parma ham, Champagne, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Balsamic vinegar of Modena, and Bordeaux winehave all built a signature status based on regionality, with labels protected by law. Their pedigreeis celebrated with geograp hical indicators,such as ‘appellation d’originecontrôlée’(AOCs) that convey the quality of ingredients and the origins of their making.
Under Scotch whisky regulations, the island of Islay is a protected locality for single malts. Whisky must be distilled on Islay in order to bear its name, but the makers of Port Charlotte heavily peated Islay single malt question whether this is enough?With no mention of where the ingredients should come from, or the location of maturation and bottling, a whiskycan, in theory, be created in as little as four days and still be called an ‘Islay’ single malt.
In contrast, French vintners have protected the reputation of their national drink for centuries. They have built a system where appellation is strictly controlled and is a source of pride. With the Islay distillery’s philosophy largely inspired by the world of wine, these French values are readily practiced in all Port Charlotte whiskies. Always matured, distilled and bottled on Islay, these single malts ensure the Islay name respects the wealth of work that made the island famous, and that the benefits of their making are shared into the local community.
In this new Cask Exploration edition, Port Charlotte PAC:01 2011 celebrates the convergence of French and Scottish provenance. Scottish barley, trickle distilled in 2011, has matured for a minimum of six years in American oak casks, before spending the remainder of its life in casks which previously held red wine from the Gironde left bank, north of Bordeaux. Its resultant character is vibrant and full-bodied, with an understated balance of barbeque smoke and an abundance of berry notes.
Bottled at 56.1% abv and available globally from April 2021, the Port Charlotte PAC:01 2011 will replace the Port Charlotte OLC:01 2010 within the Port Charlotte range of Islay single malts.
On Bruichladdich Distillery:
• Bruichladdich Distillery is located on the remote Scottish island of Islay and was built in 1881
• Bruichladdich Distillery crafts four different spirits: o Bruichladdich, unpeated Islay single malt Scotch whisky
• Port Charlotte, heavily peated Islay single malt Scotch whisky (40PPM)
• Octomore, the world’s most heavily peated Scotch whisky series (80+PPM) o The Botanist Gin, the first Islay dry gin
• Bruichladdich Distillery matures and bottles all their single malts on the island of Islay. They are due to install on-site maltings in the near future, which will enable them to complete a proportion of their annual production on the island.
• Bruichladdich Distillery is the largest private employer on the island of Islay
On the Port Charlotte range:
• The current Port Charlotte range explores the influence of barley origin, cask exploration and the passing of time. The Port Charlotte PAC:01 2011 will replace the Port Charlotte OLC:01 2010 alongside current Port Charlotte 10 and Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2012 listings.
• Port Charlotte spirit was first distilled in 2001, when Bruichladdich Distillery was resurrected after seven years of closure. The single malt whisky is named after the village of Port Charlotte that lies two miles south of Bruichladdich.
