Bruichladdich Debuts 14-Year Islay Barley Whisky
Bottled from the last remaining 2011 stock: barley from six Islay farms, matured 14 years in American and French oak
Bruichladdich, owned by Rémy Cointreau, has announced Bruichladdich Islay Barley Unpeated 14 Year Old, the oldest release yet in the Islay Barley series. It made its global debut in Australia this week; The Whisky Club members were first to taste it at a masterclass hosted by the distillery’s global brand ambassador Abi Clephane, making Australia the first market to launch.
Interested? Browse all Islay whiskies
The liquid comes from the last remaining stock from 2011, the final year Bruichladdich was independently owned and operated. The barley for this unpeated single malt comes from six local farms, all within an eight-mile radius of the distillery; it was matured for 14 years in American and French oak casks, including ex-Sauternes and first-growth Bordeaux wine casks, and bottled at 50% ABV.
Further reading: Whisky oak casks explained: types, flavour impact and cask finishing—why 60% of flavour comes from the cask
Previous series releases were aged 6 to 8 years, with notes of honey oat biscuits and citrus
Previous Islay Barley releases have been aged 6 to 8 years, making this 14-year-old the oldest bottle in the series. On the palate, the liquid offers honey oat biscuits, vanilla cream, ripe orchard fruit, melon, honeycomb, citrus and gentle spice.
“This is the absolute pinnacle of Islay Barley. For me, the peak sits at 14 years... a sweet spot of bright fruit, truly ripe tropical fruit and excellent malt.”
“This is Islay without smoke—absolutely no peat smoke at all. What you get is a sense of terroir. For anyone looking to explore unpeated Islay, it is the ideal starting point.”
First release exclusive to Australian members on 6–8 November; New Zealand members follow in early 2027
The first release will be available exclusively to The Whisky Club Australia members from 6–8 November; New Zealand members follow in early 2027, with other markets to follow. The Whisky Club has also released a video in which Hannett explains the new 14-year-old expression.
📅 Release date: 2026-11-06
🔗 Source: The Spirits Business