Royal Brackla 12 Years Old 2008 Cask #5 (Signatory)

This is a Royal Brackla single malt, chosen and bottled by Signatory Vintage, a 12 year old release from 2008, drawn from cask 5 and bottled at 58.6%. Only 711 bottles were released. Royal Brackla, first built in 1812 near Nairn, on the Cawdor Estate, is the first Royal distillery in Scotch. Long a backbone of the Dewar's blends, it is now bottled as a single malt in its own right.

The spirit was run through lamp glass spirit stills for a clean, fruity spirit, to build a fragrant, orchard fruit character. A sherry cask shaped it, true to the Royal Brackla house style. Past a decade the fruit deepens into honey, dried fruit and a warm spice. A long fermentation of up to 110 hours builds the fruity esters at the heart of the spirit. Few Highland malts wear their history as openly as this one. The spirit was long destined for blends before its single malt revival.

At cask strength 58.6% it is full bodied. The Oloroso brings dried fruit, fig and a nutty depth, and honeyed fruit and oak spice meet soft vanilla and honey from the cask. Soft orchard fruit and honey sit behind the sweetness. A fruity, gently spiced finish lingers long. This is the regal Highland malt of Cawdor.