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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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July 11, 2018 |
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Why would that be crazy to do a fairly large Braeval/Braes session? Because it’s a little name? Because the distillery’s not very pretty? Because Pernod never quite thought it would be a good idea to bottle some themselves? What’s sure is that at WF, we do like little names, because little names sometimes bring big whisky! (and some big names – no names - are slowly becoming constantly boring and disappointing anyway)… Good, let’s do, say five Braes/Braeval. |
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Braeval 15 yo 2001/2016 (48.4%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, sherry butt, cask # 11562, 377 bottles) 
If this is a sherry butt, it’s at least seventh-fill, given the colour. Colour: white wine. Nose: Braeval’s often very malty and cake-y, and this is no exception. Ovaltine, chicory, Mars bar, then more porridge, sour beer, pancake, Alsatian Eierkuacha… Right, right, that would be some kind of crêpe made out of eggs, milk, flour, and beer. Mouth: very good, malty, bready, with perfect oranges and apples bringing a solid foundation… It’s not a very complex malt but the maltiness is just perfect. Finish: rather long, rather more citrusy. Comments: this solid Speysider reminded me a bit of Mortlach at some point. How strange, must be me…
SGP:451 - 84 points. |
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Braeval 20 yo 1997/2018 (51.5%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, refill sherry butt, cask # 12399, 652 bottles) 
Colour: gold. Nose: this time there is a little sulphur/struck matches, then treacle toffee, millionaire shortbread, a Mars bar again, Ovaltine… Something slightly sour as well, towards Greek yoghurt, lassi… I think I liked the 15 a little better – so far. With water: no, cancel that, it loves water and gets wonderfully earthy and musky at the same time. Puréed chestnuts. Mouth (neat): excellently malty and cake-y, with once again a lot of Ovaltine (professional writers won’t quote brands, but I’m an amateur so I do not care!) then a perfect marmalade-y side, raisins and prunes, Demerara sugar… Very nice, really very nice. With water: very good, chocolate, coffee, chicory, brown sugar (how come you taste so good…)... Finish: long, with a wonderful maltiness and perhaps a little more meat. Dried beef and chocolate. Comments: very good, perfect chocolaty notes. Do not underestimate Braeval – what’s more Braeval loves sherry.
SGP:461 - 86 points. |
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Braes of Glenlivet 18 yo 1997/2014 (53.1%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, hogshead, 216 bottles) 
So, no sherry this time (finely observed, S.!) Colour: white wine. Nose: some kind of flinty porridge, I would say. Dump oatcakes, chalk, cut grass, grapeseed oil… How do you write ‘austere’? With water: sour cream, new sneakers, gym socks, baby puke… Ooh that makes you feel good… Mouth (neat): grass and sunflower seeds, drinking clay, more grass, even more grass, more chalk… This baby reminds me of some very extreme newmake-y Speysiders that Cadenhead used to have under their ‘small cream label’ series (our description, not theirs). Glen Speys, Glendullans at 66% vol… In short ueber-extreme stuff that may have killed a few whisky lovers in the 1990s. With water: there, saccharine, barley syrup… Finish: medium, grassy and sugary. Comments: the good old times reloaded. Gracias! But were these casks legal?
SGP:461 - 71 points. |
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Braeval 22 yo 1994/2017 (55%, The Single Cask, cask #165641, 155 bottles)
Just having a look at Master of Malt’s website (they have this bottle) and am reminded of the fact that 1994 was the year the distillery changed its name from Braes of Glenlivet to Braeval. Thank you, MoM! Colour: gold. Nose: ah, this is really nice. Spearmint, lime juice, lemon juice, then fresh baguette, Golden Grahams, cakes, and just touches of charcoal. Really very nice, the spearmint makes wonders. With water: more custardy and porridge-y. A little more fresh oak as well. Mouth (neat): unusual and very good. Cherries, lemons, quinces, almonds, apricots, melony vanilla, malt… I think this is excellent. With water: simpler but still good. Apple juice, ginger ale, sweet IPA, barley water… Finish: same. Don’t add too much water. Comments: pretty impressive. Excellent malt whisky – I would like to emphasize on the word ‘malt’.
SGP:451 - 86 points. |
Ideally, we’d have an old one now… |
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Braes of Glenlivet 27 yo 1989/2017 (54.9%, Hunter Laing, The First Editions, 144 bottles) 
Colour: gold. Nose: oh yes, barley, bread, brioche, kougelhopf, panettone, orange blossom water, macaroons, mint leaves, rhubarb, wormwood… Mind you, this is a wonderful nose! Huge complexity. With water: well, not too sure it needed water. Not many whiskies don’t swim, but this one’s one of them. Tends to become plankish and sawdusty. I’m sure you see what I mean. Mouth (neat): pretty perfect maltiness, grass, pine needles, moss, grapefruit skin, angelica, and this fresh mint that we already found in the nose. Perfect. With water: takes water better on the palate than on the nose, but H2O remains kind of superfluous here. Pass. Finish: medium, with this cake-y fruits plus fresh mint combo that just rocks. Comments: I was ready to go up to 90 before I added the first drops of water. Superb nonetheless.
SGP:551 - 88 points. |
See, no little names. Had I not tried the very loco Cadenhead, I’m sure the average score would have been higher than that of any proper Macallan session. Speaking of which, watch this space…
PS: Cadenhead are even more loco than we think. If 1994 was the year when the owners switched from Braes to Braeval, why would they have called a 1997 ‘Braes’? Answers on a postcard… |
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