Bruichladdich has announced the release of Old Skool, a 10 year old single malt distilled entirely from Islay-grown barley. It is the first of three limited edition bottlings planned for the 25th anniversary of the distillery’s reopening in 2001, after years of silence. We first covered this release back in December, when the label appeared in the US TTB registry ahead of any official announcement.
Release details
The barley comes from 14 local farmers, all within nine miles of the distillery. Bottled at 50% ABV, the label takes cues from Bruichladdich’s retro designs of the 1980s, while the bottle itself contains around 60% recycled glass. UK RRP is £60; European pricing has not been confirmed, but landing around €70–75 is a reasonable expectation. Worth noting: classic Bruichladdich uses lightly peated malt, typically around 5–10 ppm, while the distillery’s more heavily peated ranges are Port Charlotte and Octomore, the two most followed by peated whisky enthusiasts.
Maturation and casks
The whisky was matured primarily in first-fill bourbon casks, with a small parcel of first-fill Sauternes casks. The profile leans toward stone fruit, soft spice and a mineral note on the finish.
Context
Old Skool opens a year-long programme of anniversary releases and events, including the return of the Rock’ndaal festival in May, timed to coincide with Fèis Ìle 2026. Two further anniversary bottlings are expected later in the year. For a full overview of the distillery and its three ranges, the guide to peated Scotch whisky regions and distilleries covers Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore.
Old Skool is available from today at bruichladdich.com and selected whisky retailers. For those following the distillery’s peated output, the upcoming Port Charlotte and Octomore releases are the ones to watch this year.
