Sips & Sites & Bites

New from Scotland’s Islay whisky region, the Bruichladdich Distillery Company has a gem on their hands with Islay Barley 2014.  

The whisky maker calls it a “true celebration of place and provenance,” and Islay Barley 2014 is distilled from barley grown on eight local farms, all within an 11-mile radius of the distillery. 

The distiller notes that this whisky is fully traceable from farm to glass. Islay Barley 2014 matured in a combination of first-fill bourbon casks, sherry butts and second fill wine casks, which balances the influence of the oak with the locally grown barley.

The result? A cereal forward single malt with notes of apricot and peach, malty digestive biscuit, and a hint of fresh grass. There’s a subtle maritime note as well, which is a nod to the whisky’s all-Islay harvest, distillation, and maturation. 

Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2014 is available for purchase online at bruichladdich.com or at selected specialist whisky retailers for a suggested price of $82.99 a bottle.