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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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November 24, 2020 |
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Royal Brackla 2007/2019 (46%, Scyfion Choice, Banyuls finish, 150 bottles) 
Banyuls is a Vin Doux Naturel (VDN) from the South of France, not far from the Spanish border on the east side (north of Barcelona, to give you an idea). A Vin Doux Naturel is made more or less like Port, they add eau-de-vie to the must to stop fermentation, thus keeping some natural sugars. Doux means sweet. Colour: gold with salmony hues. Nose: you do really feel the sweet wine, with notes of apricots and raisins. A little menthol, bay leaves and a little liquorice, as well as touches of milk chocolate and fudge. A tad on the ‘prem-mix’ side but not unpleasant at all. |
Mouth: the spices are in the front, with cloves and juniper, then we have burnt raisins and a little paraffin, bordering soap at times. But no big deal, the rest is smooth and raisiny. Finish: medium, more winey. Grape pips, grapes, lees. Comments: I’ve tried a few malts finished in those VDNs, especially a Laphroaig that was, well, pretty uncertain. I believe this little Brackla fared rather better.
SGP:651 - 82 points.
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| "No sodas in my Banyuls." An interesting French ad for Banyuls from the 1980s. Pretty suicidal if you ask me, but rather authentic. |
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Royal Brackla 13 yo 2007/2020 (48%, La Maison du Whisky, Artist Collective, first fill sherry butt, 1476 bottles) 
This one from two butts. Colour: brown amber. Nose: we’re really on fudge and toffee, plus walnut cake and some Mars bars this time. Whether those Mars bars had been deep fried or not remains to be seen… Mouth: some spices from the oak (cinnamon, curry) and an obvious leafiness (peach and cherry leaves, that’s the oak too) at first, then rounder, more chocolaty and fudge-y notes, a touch of lavender (sweets), some tarte tatin, the expected walnuts, some apricot tatin, which is like tarte tatin, except that you would use apricots instead of apples. Quite some anise-flavoured liquorice too. Finish: medium, more on burnt cakes, Demerara sugar and milk caramel. Comments: very pleasant, very good, goes down extremely well at 48% vol.
SGP:641 - 85 points. |
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Perhaps some more ‘natural’ Bracklas? |
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Royal Brackla 10 yo 2008/2019 (56.3%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogshead, 294 bottles) 
Colour: pale white wine. Nose: exactly the opposite, that is to say a large bucket full of ripe apples, acacia honey, apple juice, brioche dough, buckwheat, a little vanilla, a little mint, a little sourdough. Truly malt whisky au naturel. With water: barley water, cider, tangerines, quinces, cassata… What’s not to enjoy? Mouth (neat): Very good! Little sugar eggs for Easter, fruit drops, icing sugar, tonic water, Schweppes, white pepper, limoncello. With water: oh even more little easter eggs! Fruit liqueurs, orange, lemon, mandarin, williams pears… You really have to be careful, this one goes down like Franz Klammer on the Lauberhorn. Finish: medium, fresh, on sweet barley and orchard fruits. And citrus. Comments: fresh, joyful and just very, very good. Malt whisky au naturel indeed.
SGP:641 - 87 points. |
That one called for more from the same breed… |
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Royal Brackla 12 yo 2006/2019 (57.37%, Cadenhead, Small Batch, bourbon hogshead, 1050 bottles) 
This baby from four (4) hogsheads. Colour: white wine. Nose: similar aromas at first, but there’s also a wee smokiness, as if one cask – or more - had previously harboured a peater. That gives it a slightly medicinal edge, not unpleasant at all, with a little feeling of ‘baby Ardmore’. With water: really nice, coastal, with some oils and even waxes. Perhaps a little un-Brackla indeed, but I doubt this will go to court. Mouth (neat): excellent, slightly smoky once again, tart, peppery, very lemony, fizzy, Schweppes-y. You would be forgiven for believing this is Ben Nevis, to give you an example. With water: further improves. Hold on, Springbank wood? Finish: long, greatly bitterish, waxy, mineral… Comments: this is one mysterious Brackla. Right up my alley! How do you write ‘Brackla’?
SGP:462 - 88 points. |
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