
March 24, 2017

Braes and Braeval

As you most probably know, Braes of Glenlivet and Braeval are different names for the same distillery. It’s a relatively new distillery (mid 1970s).

Braeval 18 yo 1997/2016 (48.4%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, sherry butt, 323 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: a rather leafy and leathery sherry, with the obligatory walnuts and a few medicinal touches (grassy cough syrup). Green coffee beans, perhaps, then more straight maltiness and just hints of butterscotch. Mouth: same mildly medicinal arrival, then large slices of walnuts cake, cinnamon cake, and ginger cake. A tannicity as well, cedar wood, sucking liquorice wood… Tends to get spicier, with also notes of grapefruits and greengages. Finish: rather long, a tad peppery, with a maltier aftertaste again. Comments: all good, solid and honest malty Speysider with good oomph. SGP:351 - 83 points.

Braes of Glenlivet 12 yo 1994/2006 (57.2%, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, #113.2, ‘Compote of wellies’) Colour: straw. Nose: rather harsh, with more leather and rubber than in the 1997, and a rather mineral maltiness, around limestone, fresh concrete… Rather unsexy so far. With water: more fresh concrete, chalk, clay, gravel, and also broken branches, roots… So a very austere style, but a style that I do rather enjoy. Mouth (neat): more ‘young’ fruits, well in the style of many a young unsherried Speysider, that is to say full of orchard fruits, apples, pears, plums… With water: a simple fruit salad, with a touch of mint and, perhaps, rosehip (eau-de-vie, did you know that some Alsatian distillers make some very good rosehip/eglantine eau-de-vie?) Finish: medium, and fruitier again. All those small berries, sorb, elder… Comments: another one that was all good, solid, and honest. SGP:461 - 82 points.

Braes of Glenlivet 22 yo 1994/2016 (51.7%, Maltbarn, bourbon, 197 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: all right, exactly the style of the SMWS, only more mature, that is to say better ‘mingled’ and with more oak. That kind of oak translates into some nice mentholy and liquoricy vanilla plus a little coconut. Perhaps dandelions? With water: as often, tends to become a little earthier, as well as more mineral. Mouth (neat): sweet and creamy, at times you would think it is bourbon. Coconut balls, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger cake… I’d even swear there is some rye inside. Serious. With water: very good, easy, creamy, and even a little gewurztraminerish. Okay, okay… Finish: medium, a little more spice-forward. Ginger, nutmeg… Comments: a very excellent cask for sure. I dig this creamy one. SGP:551 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Braes I've tasted so far