Bruichladdich Rare Cask Series 30 Years Old 1988 The Untouchable Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Bruichladdich Rare Cask Series 30 Years Old 1988 — The Untouchable is a pre-closure 1988 vintage Islay single malt from Bruichladdich’s Rare Cask programme, matured for three decades in refill bourbon casks and refill squat hogsheads before bottling at 46.2% ABV, non-chill filtered, representing Bruichladdich’s unpeated house style taken to a depth that only thirty years of interaction with quality refill wood can produce.

The 1988 vintage predates Bruichladdich’s closure from 1994 to 2001 and the subsequent change in ownership — distilled under the original ownership and production conditions of the era, representing the distillery’s character before the significant changes that followed the 2000 reopening. This gives the 1988 vintage a historical specificity that later releases from the Rare Cask programme cannot share. The use of refill casks (both refill bourbon and refill squat hogsheads) for all three decades allowed the distillery’s own character to develop slowly without aggressive wood extraction. Browse the Bruichladdich collection at Wooden Cork.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Dried hay, buttercups, and primroses leading into coconut oil, vanilla fudge, and porridge with golden syrup; sweet citrus, sherbet, apricot, and caramel developing with time
• Palate: Coconut, pink grapefruit, granola, malt, and toast; oak spice, pipe tobacco, and fudge emerging as the whisky opens
• Finish: Long — ripe pineapple, mango, and a hint of fresh mint; the wood influence integrated, never dominant

Specs

• Distillery: Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte, Islay (est. 1881)
• Series: Rare Cask Series
• Vintage: 1988 (pre-closure)
• Age Statement: 30 Years
• Cask Types: Refill bourbon casks + refill squat hogsheads
• ABV: 46.2%
• Filtration: Non-chill filtered
• Size: 750ml

Browse all Scotch whisky at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the 1988 vintage have historical significance?

The 1988 vintage was distilled under Bruichladdich’s original ownership, before the distillery was mothballed in 1994 and before the 2000 purchase and reopening that transformed the brand. It represents genuinely pre-closure Bruichladdich spirit, aged into the current era. Limited allocation. Order online.