Royal Brackla 12 Year (Discontinued)

Sampling again from a group courtesy of a friend: Royal Brackla 12. Founded in 1812, it's now owned by Dewars & Sons. In 1833, they received a royal warrant from King William IV, one of only three ever bestowed (Royal Lochnagar and Glenury Royal also hold this distinction). They produce approximately 3.5 million liters annually, mainly for Dewars blends. The Highland 12 year old single malt shows a deep gold hue, produces numerous legs, and leaves large droplets, as it's bottled at the legal minimum of 40% ABV. The aroma is dominated by tropical fruit, apples, citrus, and crushed mint, with subtle oak notes in the background. The palate, however, has a thin texture and lacks depth. It offers tropical notes, orchard fruits, and a touch of vanilla sweetness. The oak is as subdued on the palate as it is on the nose. The finish is primarily oak, but it's brief and weak. This dram would benefit from a higher ABV. In summary, this spirit is well-suited for blends. I question its suitability as a single malt release, especially at 40% ABV. The royal decree seems like a marketing tactic; they should prioritize adding depth and complexity in my opinion. Glad to have sampled it, but it's not a favorite. 3 stars. Enjoy.

A delightful acquisition! Following eye surgery, I treated myself. I found this bottle at a large chain liquor store for a good price. Despite never having tried it in my 69 years, I was aware of its positive reputation and recognized the excellent value. Online prices can be much higher. I took the chance and am very pleased. It appears golden amber in the glass with moderate legs. The nose offers aromas of cooked fruit, almonds, walnuts, orange zest, vanilla, and a hint of Christmas spice, possibly nutmeg. Upon tasting, it initially seems a bit thin, but an oily texture is immediately noticeable. The flavor mirrors the aroma, with the 'cooked fruit' translating to a distinct sherry influence from Spanish casks. It's not an overpowering sherry flavor, but a strong presence similar to certain other well-known sherried whiskies. In fact, it shares many flavor notes with one of them, and tasting them side-by-side confirms a strong similarity, with the other having a slightly longer finish. Acquiring this for the price I paid was a fantastic deal. I would hesitate to pay the inflated prices some are asking when comparable options exist.

I've seen this on shelves and often wondered about it, tempted to buy it out of pure curiosity. The packaging is decent, and the name is majestic. Well, the wondering is over. A fruity start with a mix of citrus tangerine, white fruits like apples, and some tropical kiwi and pineapple. Sweeter notes of vanilla and caramel are blended in. Lightly toasted whole wheat bread provides some cereal grain character. The aroma comes through on the palate with a medium body. Apples, vanilla, caramel, and orange creamsicle. An oaky spice with a dash of black pepper appears toward the finish. The finish is bitter and slightly drying, with a hint of cucumber and ginger that lasts a medium length. This is a good whiskey that offers pleasant aromas and enjoyable sweetness. It falls a bit short on the palate and finish, making you want another sip sooner rather than later. For the average shelf price, you'd be better off spending on something else at a lower cost. It's worth a taste, though. Thanks to a friend for the sample. [85/100] [Tasted: 6/19/18]

A purchase from a sale, this whisky carries a historical designation as the King's own. Finished in Oloroso sherry casks for added depth, it's a sought-after single malt. Served neat, it presents pleasant sweet notes of bubble gum, banana, malt, light tropical fruit, and gentle wood, with a subtle spice. The palate echoes the nose, with sweet gummy malt leading, followed by tropical fruit, festive spice, and a wood finish. While not intensely flavored, it's quite delicious. It reminds me of a combination of another 12-year-old Highland malt and a coastal Scotch, with more complexity. The finish is dry, with sherried malt, wood, a hint of smoke, and bubble gum. This is a very enjoyable Scotch with a fascinating history that I appreciated. At typical prices, I might not prioritize repurchasing, but it's undeniably a delicious Scotch. Score: 86/100.

The nose resembles toasted coconut marshmallow on a plate next to warm vanilla rice pudding. It smells comforting, rich, warm, and creamy. The palate is indeed quite rich, with smooth caramel lightly coating and warming your mouth from front to back. A larger, lingering sip reveals dark jammy fruits and a hint of salted malt biscuits. The finish is medium-short, transitioning from oily sweetness to a rather oaky dryness before fading to nothing. This drinks hotter than its 40% ABV, and I believe that affects the overall creaminess, making it seem thinner than it truly is. It's not unpleasant at all, but also not particularly intriguing. It's a reliable drink for evenings when you prefer not to overthink your beverage.

Nose: banana. Orange, pear, pancake malt. Maple syrup. Very intense almond sherry funk. Herbal, bay leaf, sage, vanilla whipped cream. Taste: pear and honey. Heavy malt. Salty and raisin finish with maybe a very faint hint of peat. Becomes sweeter as you drink, revealing a thin layer of caramel, vanilla, and butterscotch. Adding water makes it uniformly sweet with almost no complexity, bringing much of the sherry funk influence to the forefront. As a malt used in blends, it possesses considerable flavor but nothing particularly exciting or strong. It's a very well-balanced malt that isn't boring or overpowering (nor is it expensive). Certainly suitable for novices, especially if they enjoy robust malt and fruit notes.