Royal Brackla 15 Years Old 2010 The Artist (Silent Ambassador)

Bottled by Silent Ambassador, this Royal Brackla, a 15 year old from 2010 and bottled at 46.1%. 12 bottles in all. Royal Brackla was opened in 1812 near Nairn, on the Cawdor Estate; its whisky won the first royal warrant ever given to a Scotch, from William IV. Water for the make is drawn from the Cawdor Burn.

The spirit was run through lamp glass spirit stills for a clean, fruity spirit, to build a fragrant, orchard fruit character. A wine cask held it, layering dark fruit over the honeyed malt. Around twelve to sixteen years the malt gains a sherried depth over the fruit. The clean, fruity new make takes wood gracefully across long maturation. A long, cool maturation rounds the fruit into honey and dried fruit. Brackla earned the prefix Royal long before most distilleries had a brand at all. The malt is prized by blenders for its fragrant, fruity lift.

At 46.1% it is smooth and fruity. The Port cask adds plum, red berry and raisin, and green apple and a fragrant lift sit alongside soft vanilla and honey from the cask. It is clean and elegant, the fragrant spirit shining through. Orchard fruit and honey draw out the close. This is a Highland malt with a royal past.