Description
Bruichladdich Black Art 2023 Edition 11.1 24 Years
Black Art is Bruichladdich’s annual “mystery” release, where only the age and strength are disclosed, and the exact recipe is known solely to head distiller Adam Hannett. Edition 11.1 is a 24‑year‑old Islay single malt created entirely from pre‑renaissance Bruichladdich stock (distilled before 2001), matured exclusively on Islay and bottled at 44.2% ABV, non‑chill filtered and naturally coloured, with a deeply complex, wine‑driven, dried‑fruit‑and‑leather profile and just a whisper of smoke.
Production & Style
Origin: Scotland, Islay.
Distillery: Bruichladdich (unpeated Laddie style rather than Port Charlotte or Octomore).
Maturation: 24 years in a secret combination of high‑quality casks, using only pre‑2001 spirit, with a significant influence from fortified and wine casks, all matured on Islay.
Bottling: Non‑chill filtered, no added colour, bottled at 44.2% to balance intensity and drinkability rather than chase high ABV.
Release: 2023 Black Art Edition 11.1, limited availability worldwide.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep gold to mahogany with a rich, wine‑cask hue.
Nose: Layers of dried fruits (dates, raisins, blackberries), leather and a touch of citrus appear first, followed by rosehip syrup, poached pears, plums and ripe mango, intertwined with herbal honey, macadamia nuts, pipe tobacco and polished wood; a highly complex, evolving bouquet.
Palate: Full‑bodied yet velvety. Dried fruits, blackcurrants, raspberries, raisins and tangerines lead into cloves, grape pips and drying tannins, with toasted oak. Mid‑palate brings butterscotch sweetness, praline, hints of coconut, leather, dried herbs, cocoa and roasted nuts; many different flavours flash in and out, but remain harmoniously woven.
Finish: Long and wine‑forward, showing earthy tea, drying minerals, marzipan, bitter orange peel and gentle oak tannins; rich, intricate and very persistent.
Reviews & Impressions
Specialist reviewers highlight Black Art 11.1 as a very fruit‑driven, wine‑influenced expression with pronounced dried fruits, leather, herbs and spice, praised for its complexity and balance rather than raw power or peat smoke.
European and Hong Kong retailers typically describe it as “dried fruit, leather and a hint of citrus on the nose; dried fruits, barley sugar, leather and toasted oak on the palate, developing into velvety butterscotch, praline and coconut,” making it a highly sought‑after bottle for connoisseurs.
Serving Suggestions
Water: Best enjoyed neat first; a few drops of water can open up additional layers of fruit and florals.
Special Info – Concept & Bottle Design
- Concept: Black Art emphasizes secrecy and creative freedom — a “black magic” of blending using some of the oldest casks in the warehouses, with no public cask breakdown.
- Symbols on the bottle: The matte‑black bottle carries gold geometric and esoteric symbols (circles, triangles, crosses), representing ideas of cosmos, balance and transformation. A single gold droplet suspended within the design symbolizes the precious whisky born in darkness after decades in the cask.
- Design intent: The design agency notes that deep black textures, gothic motifs and the lone golden droplet were used to embody the whisky’s mystery and ritualistic feel, making opening the bottle feel like entering a “secret ceremony.”
Origin: Scotland, Islay
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Age: 24 Years (pre‑2001 spirit, fully Islay‑matured)
ABV: 44.2%
Volume: 700ml
Bruichladdich Black Art 2023 Edition 11.1 24 Years
Black Art is Bruichladdich’s annual “mystery” release, where only the age and strength are disclosed, and the exact recipe is known solely to head distiller Adam Hannett. Edition 11.1 is a 24‑year‑old Islay single malt created entirely from pre‑renaissance Bruichladdich stock (distilled before 2001), matured exclusively on Islay and bottled at 44.2% ABV, non‑chill filtered and naturally coloured, with a deeply complex, wine‑driven, dried‑fruit‑and‑leather profile and just a whisper of smoke.
Production & Style
Origin: Scotland, Islay.
Distillery: Bruichladdich (unpeated Laddie style rather than Port Charlotte or Octomore).
Maturation: 24 years in a secret combination of high‑quality casks, using only pre‑2001 spirit, with a significant influence from fortified and wine casks, all matured on Islay.
Bottling: Non‑chill filtered, no added colour, bottled at 44.2% to balance intensity and drinkability rather than chase high ABV.
Release: 2023 Black Art Edition 11.1, limited availability worldwide.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep gold to mahogany with a rich, wine‑cask hue.
Nose: Layers of dried fruits (dates, raisins, blackberries), leather and a touch of citrus appear first, followed by rosehip syrup, poached pears, plums and ripe mango, intertwined with herbal honey, macadamia nuts, pipe tobacco and polished wood; a highly complex, evolving bouquet.
Palate: Full‑bodied yet velvety. Dried fruits, blackcurrants, raspberries, raisins and tangerines lead into cloves, grape pips and drying tannins, with toasted oak. Mid‑palate brings butterscotch sweetness, praline, hints of coconut, leather, dried herbs, cocoa and roasted nuts; many different flavours flash in and out, but remain harmoniously woven.
Finish: Long and wine‑forward, showing earthy tea, drying minerals, marzipan, bitter orange peel and gentle oak tannins; rich, intricate and very persistent.
Reviews & Impressions
Specialist reviewers highlight Black Art 11.1 as a very fruit‑driven, wine‑influenced expression with pronounced dried fruits, leather, herbs and spice, praised for its complexity and balance rather than raw power or peat smoke.
European and Hong Kong retailers typically describe it as “dried fruit, leather and a hint of citrus on the nose; dried fruits, barley sugar, leather and toasted oak on the palate, developing into velvety butterscotch, praline and coconut,” making it a highly sought‑after bottle for connoisseurs.
Serving Suggestions
Water: Best enjoyed neat first; a few drops of water can open up additional layers of fruit and florals.
Special Info – Concept & Bottle Design
- Concept: Black Art emphasizes secrecy and creative freedom — a “black magic” of blending using some of the oldest casks in the warehouses, with no public cask breakdown.
- Symbols on the bottle: The matte‑black bottle carries gold geometric and esoteric symbols (circles, triangles, crosses), representing ideas of cosmos, balance and transformation. A single gold droplet suspended within the design symbolizes the precious whisky born in darkness after decades in the cask.
- Design intent: The design agency notes that deep black textures, gothic motifs and the lone golden droplet were used to embody the whisky’s mystery and ritualistic feel, making opening the bottle feel like entering a “secret ceremony.”
Origin: Scotland, Islay
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distillery: Bruichladdich
Age: 24 Years (pre‑2001 spirit, fully Islay‑matured)
ABV: 44.2%
Volume: 700ml
