Yesterday Diageo announced the new Autumn Special Release. We refer to the words of the always austere Oliver for a lucid analysis of the closed distilleries situation. Simply said, we will never see these bottlings, not even from far away (unless Diageo decides to open them at the next Milano Whisky Festival, but sadly it has never happened in past years). So we decided to comfort ourselves with a small comparison of Broras: we aim to taste and compare two official thirty years old, one from 2006, the other from 2010. Let’s start with the oldest!
N: among the various Broras we tasted, this is certainly in the farmy area, but beware: we
have a universe of notes around every corner. The ‘dirty’ notes are something in between damp wood, hay and old cellar. Then, a fairy tale world: a light blanket of minerality and
peat, with an elegant, jet well-present smoke: embers and ashes. But what is really unexpected and stunning is a ‘sweet’ side, amazingly complex: from an intense orange (both dried and peeled) to loads of chocolate, from mandarin to red apples and also great creamy suggestions (creaminess and sugariness: panettone, icing sugar, tarte tatin, marzipan, raisins… the more the merrier!). A nice wood aroma, on spicy tones. We could even find a bacon note!
P: the pattern is similar to the nose: the start is on dirty notes (stable and wax), with the mineral side and a vegetable and more smoky peat – stronger than the in nose. Then comes a load of fruity and sugary sweetness (wildflower honey), which seems to explode in a nuclear blaze. After the storm, this dram proves to be Brora at the nth power: we find intense and persistent oily, waxy, peaty and smoky tones, coming back in the palate, with some slight marine notes. However, citrus is still relevant. Spicy…Tips: Ginger? Fantastique. With time it is even rounder, the sweetness opens up in a malty jubilation. Top.
F: would you ever imagine this finish to be less than wonderful? You could, of course: but you would be wrong. Big time. Huge ash, even a little salty. Infinite.
This ‘polluted’ Brora is truly spectacular. For now, we will give our vote, and in the next few days we will publish the small cousin coming from 2010. Bravo Brora, you worked really well: 93/100 and a pat on the back for you. We miss you a lot.
Sottofondo musicale consigliato: Dean Martin – Standing on a corner.
