Bere barley is Britain's oldest continuously cultivated cereal. Once a staple for Scotland's distillers, it would fall out of fashion when more modern varieties were selected for yield, not flavour. Led by Bruichladdich's unrelenting curiosity, they have been working since 2005 to reintroduce bere alongside the university of the Highlands and Islands agronomy institute.

This resurrection story is a triumph for the remote island ecosystem built around this grain on Orkney. Perhaps more importantly though, it is also a triumph for flavour seekers, matured in Bruichladdich classic house style of ex-bourbon casks and ex-wine casks, the delicious, buttery texture of bere barley is unmistakeably unique.