The First 50-Year-Old and Oldest Ever Brora
The oldest ever bottling from iconic Brora Distillery
Capturing the awakened spirit of the legendary distillery, Brora Iris is a rare time portal of whisky artistry suspended within a bespoke stone-crafted art piece. It will go under the hammer at The Distillers’ One of One Charity Auction in partnership with Sotheby's.
“Brora Iris, the world’s first 50-Year-Old Brora. It offers a rare glimpse of a timeless masterpiece that defies the passing of time.”Andrew Flatt, Brora Distillery Ambassador
The Distillers’ One of One Charity Auction
Now in its second year, The Distillers’ One of One Charity Auction is taking place at Hopetoun House on Thursday 5th October 2023, where the one-of-a-kind Brora Iris will go under the hammer in partnership with Sotheby’s. The proceeds of the auction will be donated to supporting young people coming up through the Scotch whisky making industry and their communities.
A Celebration of Craft
A Celebration of Craft
Brora Iris is presented as a singular One of One art piece that together forms a stunning celebration of master-crafts passed down through generations. The precious spirit is encased within a decanter, inspired by a Scottish wildcat’s eye, which is suspended within an impressive stone sculpture hewn from the same limestone as the restored distillery.
A historic one-of-a-kind Brora whisky
A historic one-of-a-kind Brora whisky
This unique release is the highest age that Brora has ever bottled and offers a rare glimpse of a Single Malt Scotch Whisky that defies the passing of time.
Drawn from a tiny capsule of Brora’s distilling past, this vanishingly rare style was crafted only during fleeting periods of the distillery’s bygone lifetime. Brora Iris was created from a very small amount of ghost stock from a selection of Brora distillery’s finest casks, with impeccable provenance from the celebrated year of 1972.
And as whisky expert Charles Maclean notes, “The aroma opens a door to the past and reveals Brora: perfectly presented, alive today and correct in every detail”.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
Appearance
Rich amber with golden lights. Delicate beading and slow-running legs.
Body
Body
Smooth, rich and elegant.
Nose
Nose
Well-integrated, gentle and mellow at first, and drying overall. The ethereal early aromas are slow to unfold, with a light, vinous top note suggesting fortified wine backed by a fresh, salty sea breeze, hessian hints of hemp rope and canvas, and perhaps a hint of treacle toffee. All these are subtle and elusive, as is a background thread of coal smoke that suggests a vintage railway engine in steam.
Palate
Palate
It’s all beautifully balanced between sweetness, savoury and smoke and held together by light oaky spiciness, which is well-controlled even at this age and keeps the palate crisp and clean.
Finish
Finish
A good length, gently warming the palate with gingery spice and a little black pepper catch, then graciously fading to leave a last thread of smoke and a deliciously candlewax-smoky aftertaste.
Brora: The legend reawakened
A distillery suspended in time, Brora reopened its gates in 2021, after three years of meticulous brick-by-brick restoration. The eventual owner of Brora Iris will be invited to explore Brora to hear first-hand stories that have been passed on from generation to generation and unlock the glorious yet elusive past, present and future of this legendary distillery.
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