[55.7%・2006・30 Years Old・Original Bottling・2130 Bottles]
To me, a distillery is like a puzzle, with its various expressions like smaller pieces joint together forming a broader picture… and unfortunately due to my age I have never really quite made out what Brora looks like.
Luckily, bars like Auld Alliance are like archives of random puzzle pieces where whisky nerds like myself get to have our wildest dreams fulfilled, and to put what otherwise would be missing pieces in their rightful places, like Diageo’s 5th Brora release from almost a decade ago.
Nose:
Initially the nose feels rather shy, there is a hint of milkiness followed by a dose of ripe fruits kept at a minimalist manner and a gentle grassiness in the background. There is perhaps nothing magical at first, but in time there comes the simmering fresh cream with lollies boiling simultaneously, all rather inviting. The earthy and grassy characters also grow more robust as the dram opens up.
Palate & Finish:
Seville oranges and coconut chips served with a layer of air-dried strawberry crisps stacked underneath, all the while there is the gooey lemony note that excels in richness. The continously growing sootiness in the background adds as a welcomed diversion to the intensity of the fruitiness, as the smoke and spices lift the oily nature of the dram.
After a rather extravagant delivery on the palate, the dram reverts back to a subtle but elongated follow through of grassiness nature, paired with notes of lemon peels and balsamic drizzled strawberries that dazzled.
☆☆ [Highly Recommended]
–Nicholas
WhiskNick 