Port Charlotte PAC:01 2011: Heavily Peated Islay Meets Pauillac Wine Casks

Peat and Bordeaux in one glass

Islay whisky and red wine casks are an unusual pairing, and that is what makes Port Charlotte PAC:01 2011 worth a closer look. This 8 Year Old, released in summer 2021, combines heavily peated whisky from Bruichladdich with a finish in red wine casks from Pauillac, one of the most famous wine areas of Bordeaux.

What is Port Charlotte?

Port Charlotte is Bruichladdich’s heavily peated single malt. It sits between the distillery’s unpeated style and Octomore, its most extreme peated whisky. Port Charlotte is not as heavily peated as Octomore, but at 40ppm phenolic content it is higher than many of the other Islay distilleries. That is plenty of smoke to stand up to even a fancy Pauillac claret.

How PAC:01 was made

The whisky was distilled from Concerto barley in 2011. It was built from two batches of casks:

• Batch one: 6-year-old Port Charlotte matured in first-fill American oak, then finished in first-fill Pauillac casks for two years
• Batch two: 7-year-old Port Charlotte matured in first-fill American oak, then finished in Pauillac casks

The two batches were then vatted together to create the 8-year-old PAC:01 2011, bottled at cask strength, 56.1%.

Why Pauillac casks?

Pauillac is a Bordeaux area known for its serious red wines. Finishing whisky in these casks adds a wine influence on top of the peat and the first-fill American oak. The aim is not to hide the smoke, but to put it next to something that can stand up to it.

What does “PAC” mean?

PAC is the code Bruichladdich uses for this wine cask series, and the “01” marks it as the first release. The name is part of the official bottling.

Who is it for?

• Peat lovers who want to taste Port Charlotte beyond the standard bottling
• Wine cask fans curious about a Bordeaux finish on Islay whisky
• Bruichladdich collectors following the Port Charlotte and Octomore range
• Cask strength drinkers who like to add water to taste

How to enjoy it

At 56.1%, add a few drops of water to see how the smoke and the wine influence change. Taste it neat first, then with water, and give it time in the glass.

Where to buy

Port Charlotte PAC:01 2011 is available at BestWhisky.be. You can also browse more Islay whisky and our full range of single malt whisky.

Please enjoy responsibly. Not for sale to persons under 18.