Bruichladdich Waves 2nd Edition Single Islay Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%

There is something honest about a whisky named after the thing that shaped it. Out on the Rhinns of Islay, where the Atlantic keeps hammering the coast, the casks for Waves breathed sea air year after year. You can taste it.

Expert description

Bruichladdich Waves 2nd Edition is an Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in bourbon casks and finished in madeira casks, bottled at 46%.

Waves belongs to Bruichladdich's multi-vintage range, assembled by Jim McEwan during his time as master distiller. It is a lightly to medium peated Islay malt where bourbon casks lay the foundation with vanilla, malt and pale grain, while the madeira finish draws raisin, dark fruit and a touch of wine spice over the top.

The second edition dropped the age statement the first release carried and came in new packaging, but the philosophy is unchanged: to show the softer, cleaner side of Islay. The peat sits as a quiet undertone rather than a blast, and the dram turns more maritime the longer it stands in the glass.

Tasting notes

Nose

Sea air and citrus peel with vanilla, dried apricot and a light, sweetish smoke in the background.

Palate

Soft and malty with raisin and dark fruit from the madeira cask, salt at the edge and a steady, mild peat smoke.

Finish

Medium and salted with wine spice, malt and a last suggestion of smoke.

Specifications

Name: Bruichladdich Waves 2nd Edition Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Region/Country: Islay, Scotland
Type: Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Bourbon casks finished in madeira casks
Edition: Waves 2nd Edition
EAN no.: 0618105556706

Flavour profile

Maritime · Lightly smoked · Fruity · Malty · Soft

Investment potential

Medium. Waves has left the Bruichladdich range, and releases from Jim McEwan's time at the distillery have drawn rising collector interest.

Did you know?

Bruichladdich was left silent in 1994 until a consortium bought the distillery in 2000 and brought in Jim McEwan from Bowmore. By then he had worked with whisky on Islay since the age of fifteen.

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Frequently asked questions about Bruichladdich Waves 2nd Edition Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%

How heavy is the peat in Waves?

Light to medium. Bruichladdich makes unpeated, medium and extremely peated whisky, and Waves sits at the mild end of that scale. Heavier Islay expressions are under Peaty Whisky.

What does a madeira cask do to the whisky?

It adds raisin, dark fruit and a light vinous sweetness. Madeira is an oxidatively aged fortified wine, so the casks give a nutty depth close to sherry but with more fruit acidity.

Is it still in production?

No. Waves has left the range, and what remains comes from residual stock. Bruichladdich has since built its range around Classic Laddie, Port Charlotte and Octomore.

What does multi-vintage mean?

That the whisky is assembled from spirit distilled in several different years without an age statement. The blender can then choose components by taste rather than by number.

Is it worth the money?

A discontinued release from the period when Jim McEwan assembled Bruichladdich's whisky, with a cask history not repeated in the current range. That background is what carries the bottle.

What characterises whisky from Islay?

Peat, salt and maritime air. The island holds both heavy smoke monsters and lighter, more maritime styles, and Bruichladdich belongs to the latter. See the whole category under Islay Whisky.