2008 Bruichladdich Bere Barley Unpeated Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

A single vintage Bruichladdich that's also unpeated. While the previous 'Bere Barley' edition was made with barley sourced from the Orkney islands, this one is a farm-to-glass Islay effort. Bere produces desperately low yields - 50% less than a modern crop - and the small, starch-rich grains test the mashmen, wreaking havoc with Bruichalddich’s precious Victorian machinery. It used to be very widely grown, but over the past two centuries has been largely replaced by modern hi-yielding two-row varieties developed by plant breeders interested only in increasing harvest sizes.

Bere survives in the Northern Isles partly because it grows fast in poor, sandy soils and ripens early in long hours of summer daylight, but also because it produces great-tasting beremeal from which you make bannocks, delicious beers and whisky! Bere was the cereal grown in the 17th century by illegal distillers in the Scottish Highlands as they developed uisge beatha, the forerunner of modern single malt Scotch. Bottled at 50% Alc./Vol. Very limited stocks.