TV’s wine expert Oz Clarke and Top Gear’s James May attempted to run a high performance racing car on a special distillation of Bruichladdich single malt whisky.
The presenters were filming for Oz and James’ Great British Adventure, the third series, that follows on from their educational wine tours in French and Californian vineyards.
A 150 mph Radical SR4 racing car from Radical Sportscars, the Peterborough-based manufacturer, was selected for the test. The engine was not modified in anyway at all.
Bruichladdich’s unique quadruple-distilled X4 Islay Spirit was first tasted by wine & spirit expert Oz Clarke for proof before 3 litres were filled in to the car’s fuel tank.
Using an Atlantic shore road closed to traffic by the island’s 5 policemen – cleared of sheep and cattle – the racing car achieved a hair-raising 0-60 in 3.5 seconds over four runs.
“The exhaust smells much better than petrol”, said Duncan MacGillivray, Bruichladdich distillery manager, “sure it’s a sustainable bio fuel; but at £26 a litre, the Duty and VAT isn’t!