Stop number 91 on the SDT is Royal Brackla, or as my wife calls it, Count Brackula. A Highland distillery that once upon a time was granted a royal warrant by King William IV, the first royal warrant for a distillery ever given, and they’ve been calling themselves “Royal” ever since. Let’s see if it’s a worthy title. This 12 year old single malt is bottled at 40% ABV and is chill filtered with colorant added creating an orange amber color. These do not appear to be stats worthy of royalty. Light fruitiness at first on the nose, but the more time you spend with it the more pronounced and defined the fruits become. Kiwi, pineapple tangerines and lemongrass. Very citrusy. Wet hay, mint toothpaste, oak and furniture polish. A sourdough bread note and there’s a phenolic or aromatic note that could be a light earthy peat and a whiff of smoke. Mineral/gravely notes, seashells, earthy/vegetal and new leather. Herbal notes like bay leaves. Creamy and a touch malty, vanilla and spicy oak, black tea and wood sap. After all that there are vague bourbon and sherry notes that just linger for a while with more of those mineral and citrus notes. Surprisingly complex, but not all that impressive. The palate has tropical fruits of pineapple and kiwi, tangerines and lots of citrus. Light peat, or what is passing as peat to me. Slightly bitter oak and some wood spices. Vanilla and cantaloupe oddly enough. Mineral notes like on the nose. Hints of sherry, but very light, this is definitely a majority of ex bourbon casks. Light to medium bodied mouthfeel, mouth coating and semi dry. A medium length finish, aromatic, oak, tea, citrus and a touch of bitterness. I really was expecting much less than what I got, but that’s not to say that what I did get was spectacular. It took me a while to get used to the profile, and with the better half of a 1L bottle that wasn’t hard to do. The mineral notes reminded me of a Mortlach or a Springbank or Craigellachie, but the fruitiness really helped to balance it all out. In Michigan this goes for $72 for a 750mL bottle, which makes me glad I paid $70 for a full liter at duty free. Neither purchase is worth the price, but the bargain made it a little easier to swallow. I would not buy this one again and after hearing similar reviews about the 16 I doubt I would buy any other Bracklas in the future. 3.25, and no, the “royal” moniker is misplaced here. Cheers