Royal Brackla 14 Years Old 1997 Cask #Batch 0001 (Duncan Taylor)

Bottled by Duncan Taylor, this Royal Brackla, a 14 year old release from 1997, drawn from cask Batch 0001 and bottled at 46%. Royal Brackla was first built in 1812 in Nairnshire, by Cawdor Castle, and 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.

Drawn off copper stills with horizontal shell and tube condensers, building the elegant Highland style it is loved for. An American oak cask shaped it, flattering the elegant, fruity make. Mid age brings a fuller honey and a deeper dried fruit note. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the honeyed, fruity core over time. The distillery sits on the Cawdor Estate, whose castle is tied to the legend of Macbeth. Captain William Fraser, an army man returned from India, built the distillery in 1812. Water for the make is drawn from the Cawdor Burn in the northern Highlands.

At 46% it is supple and fruity. Green apple and a fragrant lift sit alongside honeyed oak sweetness underneath. It is clean and elegant, the fragrant spirit shining through. It closes long, fruity and warming. This is a Highland malt with a royal past.