The best thing we had on our little tasting last week? Definitely this 30 years old Brora 1972 in the Old & Rare Platinum series from Douglas Laing.
It is from the legendary 1972 vintage (the one that shows the most farmy notes, including these specific sheep stable notes) and matured in sherry casks. Usually a great recipe for outstanding Brora.
Brora 30 yo 1972 (49,7%, Douglas Laing Old & Rare Platinum 2003, 222 btl.)
Nose: without doubt one of the farmiest noses I’ve ever experienced. There must have been sheep in the stillroom. It’s stunning. Manure and wet dogs, horse stables, nicely blended with heather smoke, warm leather, paraffin candles and medicinal balm. A lot of coffee notes as well, wet earth and tobacco leaves. Wonderfully rounded though, thanks to Spanish fig bread, caramel-coated pecans and maple syrup. Gianduja. Some honeyed / rummy notes.
Mouth: a peaty, earthy start, which gradually becomes rounder. Quite some toffee, burnt cake, Pu-erh tea, some heather again. A short burst of grapefruit and mandarin. Back to herbal syrup and some sharper notes of ginseng and liquorice. Eucalyptus. Creamy tar (does that make sense?). Leather. Hints of dates and roasted nuts. Oh my, oh my.
Finish: rather endless. Most of the sherry notes are gone though, it’s the herbal, waxy and coastal side that shines through now.
This is brilliant whisky and a benchmark bottling for sherried Brora. I know I’ve got a few other legendary expressions to review, but this is one of the best malts ever for me. Expect auction prices around € 2000. TWE is selling it for around € 5700. Many many thanks, Bert.