There's something honest about a whisky named after the thing that shaped it. Out on the Rhinns of Islay, where the Atlantic keeps hammering the shore, the casks for Waves have breathed sea air year after year. You can taste it. Salt, fruit and a soft smoke that whispers rather than shouts.
The expert's description of Bruichladdich Waves 2nd Edition Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Waves is part of Bruichladdich's multi-vintage series, composed by the legendary Jim McEwan during his time as master distiller at the distillery. It's a lightly to medium-peated Islay single malt, where McEwan married bourbon casks with Madeira casks to create an expression that's fresh and rounded at the same time. This 2nd Edition dropped the age statement that the first release carried and arrived in new packaging, but the philosophy is unchanged: show off Islay's softer, cleaner side.
The bourbon casks lay the foundation with vanilla, malt and bright cereal notes, while the Madeira finish pulls a sweetness across it — raisins, dark fruit and a touch of wine spice. The peat sits underneath as a quiet undertone rather than a roar. The result is a dram that opens slowly and turns more maritime the longer it sits in the glass.
Bruichladdich was founded in 1881, closed in 1995 and brought back to life in 2001. Everything here — from barley to bottle — is distilled, matured and bottled on Islay. As always with Bruichladdich, it's non-chill filtered and free from added colouring.
Tasting notes
Nose
Fresh and salty with a soft peat smoke. Soaked raisins and vanilla, a green, grassy pull and a sweet fruit edge from the Madeira. A little maritime, a little earthy.
Palate
Malty and round with a good handful of spice. Another wave of vanilla, sweet liquorice in the background and a light minty freshness. Polished oak and a discreet smoke towards the close.
Finish
Medium length. Salted malt, mild peat and a lightly bitter oak note that lingers alongside the sea spray.
Specifications
Name: Bruichladdich Waves 2nd Edition
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 700 ML
Cask type: Bourbon and Madeira
Bottled: 2009
Edition: 2nd Edition
EAN no.: 0618105556706
Flavour profile
Lightly peated · Maritime · Fruity · Malty · Wine cask finish · Smooth
Did you know?
Bruichladdich call their multi-vintage bottlings "innovative cuvées" — a term borrowed from the world of wine. It fits, because Waves isn't tied to a single vintage or a single cask, but composed across them, so Jim McEwan could chase exactly the balance he was after.
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