Slainte-Mhath
Brora 32 Year (2011 Special Release)
Single Malt — Highlands , Scotland
Reviewed
June 5, 2022 (edited October 29, 2022)
You never know when these ghost distilleries come back to life, and when they eventually do, they are rarely the same. Layer after layer, the aroma of this Brora reveals dragon fruits, lilies and dusty whiffs of an old basement. A touch of horse stable, soot and tobacco creep in. On the palate, tropical fruits explode with an incredible mouthfeel, followed by cayenne pepper, spearmint and ashy traces of peat. Salted grapefruit, roasted coffee and a charming peaty tang emphasize the remarkable finish. This dram dwells in a league of its own, amazing stuff!
RATING: 4.7/5.0 stars ≙ 93 pts → SUPERB [+]
3000.0
EUR
per
Bottle
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@Slainte-Mhath 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
@PBMichiganWolverine If you have three bottles of Brora, I wouldn't wait too long to open at least one of them. You know how it goes, we all have more bottles for special occasions than there will ever be special occasions, and then they are wasted. Reminds me of that Japanese CEO who was gifted dozens of Karuizawa's over the years, which he proudly displayed in a glass cabinet. When he died, his secretary poured all these whiskies down the sink, assuming that 'they must have gone bad' after all these years. That was over $1,000,000 down the sink, I would have turned in my grave.
@Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington I think these are really wasted on me. I’m not a flipper. And I don’t consider these “investments “. And I don’t drink much…a pour every week or two. So…yeah…
@PBMichiganWolverine supply and demand eventually hilight just how crazy rich a small fraction of the population actually is - but I’d take this and a supercar if I hit the lottery and probably decimate and underappreciate both
@Slainte-Mhath wow…have they climbed to $3000 / bottle?!?! It’s just malted barley and water.
@Slainte-Mhath I had to check my excel sheet ( yeah…I have an excel sheet …). I have (somewhere ) Brora 30yr 2007 bottling 6th release, Brora 38 Special Release 2016, and a Brora 23 Signatory Sherry matured. After I pass away, all 3 of these will probably be mixed with soda by one of my kids …so sometime between now and then, I’m going need to to open and share
@islay_emissary Thanks mate, I was lucky enough to enjoy a nice range of amazing whiskies over the past years. That said, I'd never dismiss any bottom shelf spirit, I am always exploring and appreciating what is in the glass. I am currently working my way through a bottle of Copper Dog (next review), that will be quite a contrast to this magnificent Brora.
That is quite a top 10. The only one I’ve had is the Hibiki 21, and that was thanks to @PBMichiganWolverine. Cheers! 🙂🥃🥃
@PBMichiganWolverine So which Brora do you have in your stash to bribe the devil? Do you consider to open it? I daresay the doors of hell will open if your kids pour it into a glass with ice cubes and coke! 👹 👹 👹
@PBMichiganWolverine I think the original ones are already unattainable, I mean who pays $3000/bottle for drinking? The new releases will probably 'go Daftmill', relatively small batches of decent quality starting at 10- or 12-year-old, priced similar to todays Daftmill. These will be picked up by collectors and flippers and re-surface in the $500-1000 range on the secondary market. Nothing worth spending any thoughts on as a whisky drinker.
@Slainte-Mhath once the new Brora has its first release, do you think these original ones will be even more unattainable?
Additional comment: Tasted twice at Dr. Jekyll's Pub in Oslo for $39 a pour, I almost emptied the bottle. This one is not coming back, at least for this price.
Additional comment: A new contender for my personal top 10 list. ① Caol Ila 30 yo (2014 Special Release), ② Caol Ila 35 yo (2018 Special Release), ③ Yamazaki 25 yo, ④ Brora 32 yo (2011 Special Release), ⑤ Lagavulin 25 yo, ⑥ Highland Park 25 yo, ⑦ Yamazaki 18 yo, ⑧ Glen Grant 40 yo 1973 (Samaroli), ⑨ Invergordon 44 yo 1973 (Mancarella), ⑩ Hibiki 21 yo... Slainte!