Bruichladdich launches quadruple distilled 18-yo single malt
Adam Hannett, Bruichladdich’s Master Blender
Progressive Hebridean distillery Bruichladdich has unveiled what it believes to be the world’s first quadruple-distilled 18-year-old Scotch whisky.
The new release, Bruichladdich X4+18 Edition 01, is one of the most exciting experimental whiskies to date from the celebrated Islay distillery, which has built a reputation for innovation since being resurrected in 2001.
Bruichladdich X4+18 Edition 01
Together with a maverick production team, the spirit was first distilled in 2006 by legendary former Master Distiller, Jim McEwan MBE, and has spent 18 years maturing in a mix of quality Bourbon and Rivesaltes casks at the distillery on Islay. X4+18 Edition 01 is the first of a dynamic four-part series, with each 18-year-old expression marrying radical distillation and cask exploration. Only 2,400 bottles of the inaugural edition will be released in November 2025.
Adam Hannett, Bruichladdich’s Master Blender who has safeguarded the spirit and overseen its final coming of age and bottling, said:
“Bruichladdich has never been afraid to push boundaries. X4+18 Edition 01 is the culmination of a daring experiment, 18 years of patience, and the perseverance of our Islay home. It shows that innovation can go hand-in-hand with elegance, excitement, and truly exceptional flavour.”
While Bruichladdich spirit is typically distilled twice – and some Irish whiskey often triple distilled – X4+18 takes the process a step further. The spirit was run through the stills four times, reaching a strength of 85% alcohol by volume before being laid down in cask. The result is a sublimely unique and pure whisky that, despite its bottling strength of 63.5% ABV, is incredibly refined, complex and bursting with fruit flavour.
Hannett continued: “Quadruple distillation is almost unheard of in whisky. Some Irish distillers and a handful of Scotch producers triple distil to achieve a lighter, smoother character - but we believe we’re the only distillery to have bottled a whisky distilled four times and brought it to market. The final bottling is quite incredible – it’s completely unique and unlike anything else we produce. It almost has to be tasted to be believed, and we’re incredibly proud of the result.”
The idea of quadruple distillation was inspired by a 17th-century account from travel writer Martin Martin, who described a spirit known as 'usquebaugh-baul' – or ‘perilous whisky’ – distilled four times on the Scottish islands. McEwan first revived the concept in 2006, producing small batches of quadruple distilled spirit that went on to become cult releases.
These included Bruichladdich X4+3 Perilous Spirit in 2009, Octomore Discovery in 2014, and the 70% ABV Octomore X4+10 in 2019, which sold out instantly.
The new X4+18 Edition 01 comes in Bruichladdich’s premium Luxury Re/Defined proprietary bottle, made with recycled glass, and labelled with a contemporary design from creative agency Thirst. The vibrant label features four abstract graphic elements, representing the whisky’s journey through the stills.
X4+18 comes from the same experimental arm of Bruichladdich as elusive cult favourite, Black Art, and showcases the distillery’s ongoing willingness to push boundaries and earn its reputation as one of the world’s most exciting single malt Scotch whiskies.
The launch arrives at a time when consumers and whisky enthusiasts are increasingly drawn to rare, unusual, and high-concept spirits.
The X4+18 Edition 01 release – the first of a four-part series with Edition 02 set to be released in 2027- sets the tone for B Corp certified Bruichladdich’s 25th anniversary celebrations in January 2026, when the distillery is expected to unveil more special releases nodding to its short but impactful history.
Tasting profile:
Nose: Dried apricot, sweet mango, toasted oak, muscovado sugar, honeyed pastry, vanilla fudge.
Palate: Rounded, smooth, with jammy fruit, Christmas cake, Brazil nut depth, and citrus marmalade.
Finish: Lingering stewed fruits and mellow oak with warming sweetness.
For more information on the X4+18 series, and Bruichladdich, visit bruichladdich.com.
