Port Charlotte PC5 (1st Release) Single Malt Review

Port Charlotte lies just 2 miles south west of Bruichladdich distillery but at one time had it's own distillery, Loch Indaal, that had originally opened in 1829. It stayed in business for 100 years before closure in 1929 and it was renowned for its rich, peated spirit.

Although renowned for making unpeated spirit, when Bruichladdich was brought back to life it was always in the plans for the distillery to make peated whisky alongside the unpeated spirit it was famous for.

Jim McEwan even sought out the help of former Loch Indaal stillman, Ruaridh MacLeod, who reportedly knew the taste of the Loch Indaal spirit intimately, in his quest to reproduce that original Port Charlotte spirit flavour.

Also by quirk of fate, although they wanted to produce unpeated spirit on their first spirit when the stills fired up, it was actually Port Charlotte spirit that was produced.

In the mad rush to get the distillery gates re-opened for Feis Ile, there was a mix up with the Port Ellen maltings, and the only malt available was peated to 40ppm and so Port Charlotte was born on May 29th, 2001 at 8:26 am when the Bruichladdich stills ran once again.

The spirit was bottled in 2006 as a 5 year old and was named the PC5 Evolution.

I've been very generously given a sample so let's taste!

Port Charlotte PC5 (1st Release) 5 year old 63.5% abv – now between £500 & £750 per bottle

6,000 bottles, 40ppm, ex bourbon maturation, NC/NCF

Nose: A creamy, butyric nose – salted butter, sweet vanilla, brine & then some vegetal mossy notes. Coconut macaroons, toffee popcorn & sweet peat. Kelp & sea spray. Malt, cracked black peppercorns and some pencil shavings.

Water makes the peat smoke much more apparent along with iodine and more maltiness.

Palate: A lovely mouthfeel – for 5 years old the alcohol is surprisingly well integrated. A little prickly on arrival followed by salted caramel, vanilla frosting, toffee apples and some iodine. Warming peat smoke threads through along with clove oil heat, lime juice and smoky malt.

Water brings bandages, black licorice and a hint of coconut.

Finish: Medium in length with oaky spice, green tabasco, wood embers and citrus.

Score: 7 out of 10

Overall: A cracking wee dram at only 5 years old. Bold, punchy but very enjoyable. Everything Ardbeg ‘Wee Beastie’ would love to be.

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