Bere barley is an ancient variety — one of the oldest cultivated cereals in the British Isles, grown in Scotland for over five thousand years. Modern maltsters abandoned it decades ago in favour of higher-yielding varieties, but Bruichladdich revived it as part of their terroir programme, growing it on Orkney and Islay to explore what this nearly-extinct grain contributes to whisky flavour.
The Bere Barley 2012 was distilled from 100% bere barley and aged in a combination of cask types. It is bottled at 50% without chill filtration or colouring, in keeping with Bruichladdich's commitment to transparency. The yield from bere barley is significantly lower than modern varieties, which makes this a more expensive whisky to produce — but the flavour profile is genuinely distinctive.
The nose is cereal-forward and nutty: raw barley, sourdough, hazelnut, and dried grass, with the grain character more prominent than in any other Bruichladdich expression. The palate brings a remarkable breadiness — think fresh-baked wholemeal loaf — alongside honey, lemon, malt, and a gentle spiciness. The ancient grain gives the whisky an earthy, almost rustic quality that modern barley cannot replicate.
The finish is medium, with cereal, spice, and a lingering malty sweetness. Whether the difference between bere barley and modern Concerto or Laureate is worth the premium is a question each drinker must answer for themselves. But as an exercise in whisky archaeology — tasting what Scotch might have been centuries ago — the Bere Barley is fascinating.
