The 101st post of 2020, would you believe it.
St Nicholas, patron saint of children. I hear his favourite tipple is (Royal) Brackla. Or at least, that is the only one that kind of rhymes with his name.
Royal Brackla 20yo 1992/2013 (52.4%, Cadenhead Sherry Cask, 180b): revisiting one we had early last year. Nose: toffee, gingerbread men and cinnamon biscuits. Topical that we should, today, have a speculoos-flavoured whisky, uh? (I will never call them Biscoff!) The second sniff brings moist Bourbon-barrel-stave scents, marzipan, almond oil, olive oil, even gun oil, then, a while later, it is moving towards lacquered cabinets with a toasted impression -- it could very well be a nut roast; after all, it is Sunday, today (the day of Sunday roasts, to put it in more obvious terms). A pinch of ground coffee in lukewarm cola appears, cotton candy and praline. The coffee note persists at second nosing, yet it is mocha butter cream and chocolate, more than proper coffee. Mouth: the first contact is almost metallic, the oily barrel of a gun, then it is ink-stained blotting paper and tinned pineapple (or is it apricot?) Next up may be discreet cardboard and a good dose of spices (crushed bay leaves, ground cardamom). A couple of sips in, it turns milder and creamier, more akin to melted milk chocolate, with a pinch of ground cinnamon. Finish: ink indeed, pencil erasers and marzipan's comeback accompany a woodier side, though not at all monolithic wood (that should probably read monoxylic, by the way): the wormwood-eaten staves have metal screws in them, and those are not oxidised in the slightest -- maybe they are made of titanium? This finish retains the oiliness of the nose (almond oil, crushed macadamia nuts), and adds a colourful touch to it (oil paint tubes), as well as a spoonful of mocha flan. In the long run, I find the finish very stout-like: heavy, rich, dark, stomach-filling, and rather satisfying altogether, really. 8/10 (Thanks for the sample, RO, and get well soon!)
Royal Brackla 16yo 1970/1986 (57%, OB imported by Zenith, 3600b, b#0471): nose: a winning blend of ripe-apple chunks and flint. Limestone and lichen then show up to somehow elevate the fruitiness to another level, flirting with berries and currants -- cranberries, raisins, whiffs of greengages, all cloaked in the thinnest veil of refined smoke. In fact, it might be Virginia tobacco, rather than smoke. In any case, it is superb. The second nose has a barely-noticeable note of charcoal too. Mouth: juicy and fruity, this is ripe with mirabelle plums, yellow peaches, plum jelly -- again, softly smoky. That juicy fruit is resting on a slate, and there is an undeniable minerality to this. For decoration (and wow effect), the chef has displayed a piece of charcoal on the slate cheese board, next to a spoonful of currant chutney and a drop of redcurrant coulis. Finish: here, the rocky, mineral touch is more pronounced, with slate indeed, holding ashy cheeses, aside the fruits. Imagine Morbier, or Pyrénées cheese, sprinkled with grated charcoal. It may read odd, but it works a treat! Grape-pip oil and brimstone add another couple of twists to this excellent dram. Amazing character that combines fruity, mineral and burnt personalities. 9/10
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