Brora 1977 35 Year Old 12th Release bottled 2013

This is a whisky that was distilled in 1977, that's even before I was born!! That by itself was enough to get me really excited to taste this expression from the legendary (now silent) Brora Distillery.

Nose: The American and European Oak casks where this spirit resided for 35 long years make a strong impact right at the beginning with lots of woody notes coming through along with some mild peat too. What follows is freshly baked biscuit notes and more of the fresh lime sort of citrus. If ever you had a perfume that smelt like a whisky you'd want it to smell like this Brora. Finally some clove and vanilla that give this nose a touch of spice. What's great about the nose is that it keeps giving out these aromas consistently for quite sometime rather than oxidizing and fading away.

Palate: I assume 49.9% must have been natural cask strength for a whisky which has been maturing for 35 years so its not really a surprise that a sip of this dram brings out a whole load of flavors bursting in your mouth. A very juicy palate with lots of stewed pairs and apples with spiced cloves in the mix. There also citrus and burnt woody notes that come through. And finally there is that mild and yet unmistakable peat that also makes it presence felt.

Finish: As on the nose.. the wood makes a definite impression on the long velvety finish of this one along with iodine and lime in there as well.

Another absolute cracker from Brora.. its a pity though that its so expensive .. making people like me have to be content with a just sample dram of this lovely piece of history.

Brora. The elusive spirit that is fast becoming unobtainable for ordinary mortals like me. Each year Diageo unveils a Special Release of old stock Brora lying around at a price which, if my only child was kidnapped, I would be unable to pay the equivalent amount in ransom.

But that's OK. If that's where the industry is headed then so be it. I'll simply contend my self with a 3cl sample just to satisfy my curiosity.

Not because I'm curious to see what it is that costs so much but that I genuinely like a Brora. Not that I've drunk a truckload of them but when ever I've drunk one I've enjoyed it. I think the flavor profile is truly original.

I have an unopened 30 year old bottled in 2010 which looks very tasty. But given where the prices are going I might hold on to that for a while. Let's see.

So the dram in my hand is part of the famed 2013 Special Release from Diageo. The 35 year old spirit was distilled in 1977 and is a mix of re-fill American and European oak. It is bottled at a cask strength of 49.9%. I suspect another 10 years and it would not have remained whisky any longer.

Nose: Mild peat. Perfumed wood. White grapes. Pears. Berries. Chenin Blanc. Jut bag. Clove. Rice husk. Digestive biscuits. Green lime. Vanilla. Very strong nose. Stays assertive. Let this one breathe for as long as you like. It stays true and refuses to waiver. Quite remarkable even if not overly complex.

Palate: Quite sprightly. Burnt wood. Citrus. Butterscotch. Juicy apples. Pears. Stewed fruits. Berries. And that mild peat again. The medium bodied delivery is very nice. Quite juicy. Makes you salivate. There's a hint of spice but that dissipates quickly amongst the fruit basket.

Finish: Long. Oily. Iodine. Hint of spice. White melon. Oak.

Once again this is a very tasty beverage. The 35 years have been manipulated quite expertly. There is not a wrong note any where. My only criticism would be that it's not as complex as I would want it to be. But that's OK.

Sometimes beauty lies in simplicity.