Bruichladdich 3D3 Norrie Campbell
As the thermometer outside my window approaches the 70F mark, growing closer day by day, and the first BBQ of the year has been prepared, carried out and consumed; only one thing could possibly happen next. I’ve become ill, more specifically I regret to announce that I have contracted acute viral rhinopharyngitis; there is little doctors can, or will, do. The common cold is a rascal! Luckily I know of a cure myself, one all too rarely prescribed by doctors – a daily dose, perhaps even two, of the old water of life.
For my first round of treatment I decided to go with an Islay single malt, distilled by what I believe to be one of only two independently owned distillers left on the island. Bruichladdich is the name, 3D3 Norrie Campbell the expression, delicious the word! More interesting than the history to which I would normally turn at this point is the modern history of this distillery, and most interesting of all is the fact that they’ve featured in the news after receiving an e-mail from a branch of the US government regarding the possibility that the facilities could be used not only for distilling whisky, but for producing WMD’s!
It is worth noting that no proof of any such activity has been found, and that the whole scenario has been question has a bit of a hoax. You can read the full story over on their website which, it must be said, needs a bit of an overhaul – http://www.bruichladdich.com/wmd_story.htm. Saying that, they’re the first distillery I’ve come across which feature a host of webcams streaming live footage from various parts of their premises.
Anyway, I do believe it is time to move on to my prescription. Though not as aggressive is its older brother, Bruichladdich Octomore, 3D3 Norrie Campbell is pretty much a full on peat explosion. Imagine, if you will, a combination of vanilla, ripe granny smith apples and lemon fried not in butter, but in toffee – the vanilla going in slightly before the other ingredients, giving it a more bunt flavor. Once the apples go soft, remove the mixture from the hob and place in a smoker, add pepper right at the end, then liquidize the result and add some alcohol – what you will end up with ought to be fairly similar to 3D3. That may not sound too appetizing, and in fact it probably wouldn’t be, but the whisky, well, it is.
Color: Medium-light golden yellow.
Nose: Peat, smoke, hints of apple, toffee and vanilla.
Taste: Very powerful, vanilla fudge, slight fruitiness, very peaty and ashy. Lingering peppery aftertaste.
Definitely good value for money, and definitely a very good whisky.
Want to buy this whisky? Available in: USA & World (click), UK & Europe (click)
