Port Charlotte PAC:01

Score: 90

Port Charlotte PAC:01 is a thunderous statement from Bruichladdich, an Islay single malt that doesn’t just arrive, it erupts. Bottled at a formidable 56.1% ABV, this 8-year-old whisky was matured in French oak and finished in Bordeaux red wine casks, creating a fusion of deep fruit complexity and aggressive peat. The nose is a sensory overload: smoked meats, charcoal, lingonberry, and oakwood smoked salmon, with flashes of orange, clove, and juniper. On the palate, it’s medicinal and intense, think Fisherman’s Friend lozenge, smoked ham, toasted waffles, and dark chocolate. The finish is long, mouth-coating, and unapologetically tarry, with salinity and spice lingering like a bonfire’s last breath. At the 2023 Champion of Champions tasting, PAC:01 didn’t just win—it obliterated the competition. It was the kind of dram that made other bottles feel like warm-up acts. The club was unanimous: this wasn’t just a whisky, it was a performance. The balance of brute strength and layered elegance left tasters stunned, and its ability to evolve in the glass only deepened the admiration.