The Bruges Whisky Company (or Brugse Whisky Company) is the producer behind the Ryggia Belgian Single Malt. Founded in 2019 by father and son duo Peter and Thibaut De Meyer, they have been around for a while now. Check their website for more background information (and an online shop).
They are doing a lot of experiments. I mean *a lot* of experiments, up to the point where you start wondering if there’s ever going to be a house style or a core range.
Bruges Whisky ‘Core’ (46%, OB +/- 2024)
Nose: easy-going. Nothing stands out, but that’s a good thing. We have ripe apple, hints of raisin bread, as well as sweet citrus and whiffs of tinned peaches. Light hints of coconut, white chocolate and assorted fruit candy. In the background there’s a touch of wine, but this is very well dosed. In fact I assume they used different casks but all are well balanced.
Mouth: the first thing that stands out is the distinctive coconut flavour again, as well as some synthetic vanilla and pineapple, which gives it a slightly rummy, even Piña Colada-like profile. Then some vanilla, multifruit Haribo and tinned peach again, with white caster sugar and a bit more white oak than the nose suggested.
Finish: not very long, still on lots of candied notes, sweet grains and coconut.
Not a classic Scotch profile and not very complex, focusing a lot on sweetness and roundness. Really not bad, a bit of a crossover spirit. Keep an open mind and you won’t be disappointed.
Bruges Whisky ‘Core 2’ (55,1%, OB +/- 2026, Batch #2)
Nose: candied again, with honeyed notes, some raisins or even fresh grapes. The seductive combination of orange (blossom), honeysuckle and apricot of Moscatel shines through. Even a little pineapple after a while.
Mouth: almost a flavoured whisky. Lots of ripe fruits. Lime, orange, a little lychee. Then tangerine candy, a little jasmine honey and juicy raisins. Mid-palate there’s a slightly tangy roughness, perhaps because of the high ABV.
Finish: quite long, with caramelly notes, fruit candy and subtle grainy notes.
A pretty complex recipe again, with “white Madeira” (whatever that may be), Moscatel and Cognac casks. This leads to an overdose of candied fruits again. All fine, just be sure to pick the right moment for this dessert-style whisky. Score: 83/100
After these ‘core range’ products, we get to two other names. Rogia is a cask-driven series – usually small casks and small output. Ryggia, by contrast, is a line of whiskies matured in larger casks for a more approachable profile.
Ryggia Unleashed (60,2%, OB 2023, red pepper finish, 50 cl, 498 btl.)
Nose: less expressive than the others. I’m mostly getting fresh wood, I would have guessed a virgin oak barrel or French oak perhaps. Underneath there is some vague apple sweetness, lemon and a dusty hint of paprika as well. There’s a faint floral note too.
Mouth: not so good, it goes in different directions but the most prominent note is a fragrant, synthetic hint – bordering red bell pepper but also peach candy, a little marzipan sweetness and potpourri. The chilli effect is far less outspoken here than in the SMWS experiment for instance. I’m picking up a a little heat of white pepper (and alcohol) but very little capsaicin as such. Dark chocolate towards the end.
Finish: the peppery / acoholic heat stays long, along with a cocoa sweetness and this fragrant note.
I appreciated the previous whiskies for their sense of balance, but this experiment feels like an unnecessary gimmick. I saw they did a cinnamon finish and a herbal liqueur finish as well. Score: 72/100
Ryggia Fino Sherry (57,7%, OB 2026, single cask, 350 btl.)
Nose: youngish malt with a nice sweet-and-sour hint of apple juice, along with a hint of apricot jam and fragrant almond cake. Subtle whiffs of dough. A hint of caramel. Then some hints of freshly sawn oak and lemon peelings.
Mouth: quite sweet, with big hints of vanilla, sweet orange candy and hints of frangipane. The candy sweetness is a bit overdone here. Mid-palate the woodiness takes the upper hand, with peppery notes, nutmeg and mild hints of bitter almond and leather. Quite rough around the edges.
Finish: medium, with a bit of woody heat, orange peels and white pepper. Leaving a wry feeling.
Sometimes part of the problem is in the name. This is a decent whisky on its own, but as soon as you put Fino sherry on the label, it becomes a mindf**. It’s overly sweet, overly wood-driven and totally not in line with expectations for this style of sherry. Something doesn’t computer, I mean, just look at the colour (Fino has the lightest colour of all sherry wines). Score: 76/100
Rogia Malbec (59,6%, OB 2026, 124 btl.)
Nose: synthetic strawberry or cherry candy. Hibiscus and blackberry eau-de-vie, does that exist? There’s also a minty side, a little concrete or mud, and simply a hint of Beajoulais Nouveau. Old walnuts and a wee rubbery note. Red wine galore – it reminds me of the (least impressive among the) Longrow Red releases, without the peat.
Mouth: oh yes indeed, we don’t like red wine maturation and this explains why. It’s winesky, including the muddy strawberries, the cloves and mulled wine spice, the slightly fragrant note and the overall mustiness. Mon Chéri. Burnt blueberry muffins? Still a hint of rubber.
Finish: burnt caramel, back to walnuts, along with bitter herbal drops and more plain wine.
What struck me here was the red colour of the spirit, almost raspberry juice. This is a good indicator for what you get on the nose and on the palate: more wine than whisky. Experiments are fine but I feel the balance isn’t there yet. Score: 67/100