Brora 32 Year Old 10th Release bottled 2011

When I hosted a tasting at a local retailer last summer, the sympathetic owner gave me a 10cl sample of this stuff: the Bora 32 Year Old. It is a very expensive, but highly coveted bottle, this 10th Release. I was very happy with it and tasted it head-to-head with the other two yearly Brora.

The nose is rather closed. It needs time. If you indulge (start with about ten minutes at least), it becomes a slightly smoky, complex animal. I envision myself on a rocky beach, next to a bonfire that has just been doused. A little brine in the spray, tobacco leaves, white fruit, oranges, paraffin, hazelnuts, honey… and then the cow stable scents emerge: cow hide, hay. As complex as the 6th Release, but a lot sweeter and more fruity. Mighty!

It is very oily on the palate. Immediately, atypically, bittersweet. Grapefruit, peach, white chocolate. Pretty spicy too. Mustard, pepper, liquorice, cloves. Even some licorice candy. Peat and tar, but also warm apple pie – WTF? This goes back and forth like a yoyo between sweet and salt, but remains exciting. Midpalate the oak makes is quite drying.

The finish is fairly long (I so much wanted to last this longer, but alas), on peat and coals, very spicy and dies a salty death.

Another magnificent Brora, but my fav remains the 30 Year Old from 2007. Thanks to Johan for the big sample!

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