A blend of casks known only to Bruichladdich's Jim McEwan, Black Art 4.1 was distilled in 1990 at Bruichladdich in a rare annual release that seeks to capture the mind of the magician on staff at one of Islay's most transparent, yet enigmatic distilleries.
The palate opens to Parma violets, underpinned with light lavender, where fleshiness mingles with the exotic notes of manuka honey, pomegranate, apricot pits, and dried lemon. It pushes malt into a new area, but that’s the point.
Black Art hasn’t always been a favorite of mine, but 4.1 is drinking with a better balance, with nice chewiness and plenty of wine barrel influence to it.
