Royal Brackla 18 Years Old 2006 Cask #300461 (BB&R)

This Royal Brackla was from the independent bottler Berry Bros & Rudd, an 18 year old release from 2006, drawn from cask 300461 and bottled at 52.3%. A release of 156 bottles. Royal Brackla was founded in 1812 by Captain William Fraser near Nairn, on the Cawdor Estate, and it was crowned the first Royal distillery by William IV in 1833. Today the distillery sits in the John Dewar and Sons stable, owned by Bacardi.

The spirit was run through lamp glass spirit stills for a clean, fruity spirit, to build a fragrant, orchard fruit character. A wine cask shaped it, the fruit and tannin meeting the elegant spirit. Long ageing brings a deep, dried fruit character and a mellow oak spice. The clean, fruity new make takes wood gracefully across long maturation. Brackla earned the prefix Royal long before most distilleries had a brand at all.

Bottled at a cask strength 52.3%, it is rich. The wine cask lends dark berry and a spiced edge, and honey, apple and a soft spice sit alongside soft vanilla and honey from the cask. A baked apple and a warm spice lift it. It closes long, fruity and warming. This is a sherried, fruity dram from the far north.