NV Brora 30yo - 2007 Release (55.7%)

Colour: gold. Nose: what’s striking at first nosing is the rather perfect combination of straight raw peat with soft and rounded nougatty notes. Highland shortbread and coal smoke, then the expected farmy notes (cow stable, wet dogs, farmyard), notes of apple peeling and fresh walnut, then a little linseed oil and damp earth (and chalk)… Plus just hints of horseradish or mustard. A tad less ‘wild’ than earlier batches in my opinion, but not quite a transition between the 30s and the 25 that was to follow this one. In other words, a true 30. With water: totally Brora. More farmy notes and this superb kind of camphory/antiseptic notes that only old peated glories can display. Mouth (neat): hugely huge, extremely powerful, sharp and pretty zesty, much less polished than on the nose when neat. Some lemon, mustard, a lot of raw ginger, green apples, cardamom, liquorice, tar… It’s not exactly brutal but it’s no philosophical malt, if you will. Maybe something of Port Ellen. With water: lemon cake, sweet mustard, quince jelly, smoked tea, civilised kippers and marzipan. Finish: long, with more ‘peated lemon’ and a little mint. Tar. Notes of lemon sprinkled oysters in the aftertaste. Comments: a Brora that takes water extremely well. In fact, water is de rigueur here or you may miss the best part. I had thought it would be rounder when I nosed it undiluted but no, it’s a genuine, punchy, early-70s style Brora. There. Dec 2009, www.whiskyfun.com

Nose: what did you expect? Farmy! Soft peat smoke and charcoal but also cows, manure and interesting notes of goat cheese. Horse saddle leather. Tobacco. Fresh sea breeze. Sharper notes of balm, hay, a bit of yeast… Fern forest. Camphor. Not very fruity, although I pick up soft yellow apple and citrus. Water makes it rounder and brings out a hint of vanilla sweetness. Truly unique. Mouth: very powerful and immediately maritime, with a briney hint of liquorice. Quite dry and oily. A sharp hint of mustard. Much more peated and smoked now. Takes water very well, with added notes of apple, lemon pie and ginger. Finish: long, hints of liquorice, bonfire smoke and pepper. I can’t stop loving this one, and the 2004 edition is even better. A powerful peaty palate and a complex, balanced nose. If you’re serious about whisky, Brora 30yo is something you should have tasted. Feb 2010, www.whiskynotes.be