A 1975 vintage Brora bottled 20 years later as part of the Rare Malts series of bottlings. The distillery sadly closed in 1983 and now has a cult following, especially good bottlings like this one which was awarded an average of 90 points by 4 of the Malt Maniacs.
Colour: straw. Nose: starts like a civilised brute, on whiffs of peat smoke and horse manure on top of hints of white fruits (cider apples) and shoe polish. Goes on with notes of old pu-erh tea that are very typical, a little paraffin and linseed oil, old leather, motor grease, a full plate of oysters (including lemon)… With water: gets extremely mineral and flinty. Also lemon skin and fresh walnuts. Beautifully austere if we may say so. Mouth (neat): fabulous start, less directly peaty than earlier Broras (1972 and so on) and a tad more vanilled/candied, but the balance is rather perfect. Some green tea and bitter liqueurs, getting then much grassier. The peat slowly disappears. With water: more fresh walnuts and some salt coming through. Quite some wax too, bitter herbal teas (peach leaves, cassis buds). Finish: long, austere, grassier, with just traces of peat and a little orange zest. Comments: these 1975s aren’t as majestic as earlier Broras, and certainly less peaty but they are beautiful old-school Highlanders. A style that doesn’t really exist anymore. SGP:264 - 90 points.
Distillery | Brora |
Classification | Single Malt Whisky |
Bottle No./Released | 7109/- |
Vintage | 1975 |
Age | 20 |
Bottler | Official Bottling |
Bottling Date | - |
ABV/ Volume | 59.1%/ 75cl |
Rating/SGP | 90/264 |
Cask Number | - |
Type: Closed 1983 - Highlands