Independent bottler Ian Macleaod released a couple of Brora 1981 casks #151x and #152x in their Dun Bheagan series, between 2004 and 2008 more or less.
They are usually regarded as some of the more delicate, less peaty and less impressive Brora expressions, but that’s only because most of the others have been mindblowing. If you forget the usual Brora profile for a second, this is still unique whisky.
Brora 24 yo 1981 (48,5%, Dun Bheagan 2006, Fino sherry butt #1524, 726 btl.)
Brora 24 yo 1981 (48,5%, Dun Bheagan 2006, Fino sherry butt #1524, 726 btl.)Nose: gentle, closer to Clynelish than to the peatier Brora profile. Waxy notes, wet leaves, broken branches and a hint of apples. Hints of hay and heather. Limestone. Underneath there are some rounder, sweeter sherry notes.
Mouth: fresh, with a short boost of jammy, fruity sweetness (probably the fruitiest of all the Broras I’ve had so far) and then more typical, light mineral notes. Red apples, honey and oranges. The some light peppery notes, smoke and chocolaty touches. Light beeswax too.
Finish: long, with more fruity notes, honey, some nutty flavours and a dose of oak.
Very good whisky, even though it’s not the most typical Brora. Fresh and fruity, fairly light. These bottles remained relatively cheap (since they came from a supposedly lesser period and lesser bottler) until Brora became one of the really famous lost distilleries. Only in auctions now. Thank you, Gunther.
Score: 90/100