Brora 71/72 DL v 72 RM x2 x v 75 RM v 74OB v 75 SA G/Garioch

[lincoln imp]

Old Brora H2H + Glen Garioch

Tasted in this order

Brora 1971 29 year 50% 210 bottles Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask
Brora 1972 29 year 51% 228 bottles Douglas Laing Platinum Selection
Brora 1972 22 year 58.7% Rare Malts OB
Brora 1972 22 year 61.1% Rare Malts OB
Brora 1974 30 year 56.6% 3rd Official Release
Brora 1975 20 year 60.75% Rare Malts OB
Glen Garioch (Coilltean) 1975 57% 480 bottles Samaroli Flowers 13 year

This line will be right on the edge of my limit but there are mini H2H of the Douglas Laing and the 1972 Rare Malts and as I have score the 75 RM the same as the 72 before so threw that one in. The 3rd release Brora is by comment consent the best of the 30 year official releases though I think the 2005 & 2006 are just as good and the Glen Garioch is the leveller, I have scored it the same if not better that the RM 58.7% last time and is similar to Brora and a beast of a malt, I call it the punisher and remember it is only approximately 13 years old

I rate Brora higher than any of the Islay distilleries, there is peat and then some. but it’s not just about the peat, Brora has for me anyway a greater depth pf profile than the best Islay Malts,
But look at the young Geerie, that is a match for anything.

The 1972 RM 58.7% reigns supreme closely followed by the 3rd annual release and the young Glen Geerie shows its quality & power, I wonder what the Gerrie would have been like with another 10 years of maturation the mind boggles

RESULT
1 Brora 1972 22 year 58.7% Rare Malts OB
2 Brora 1974 30 year 56.6% 3rd Official Release
3 Glen Garioch (Coilltean) 1975 13 YR 57% 480 bottles Samaroli Flowers
4 Brora 1972 22 year 61.1% Rare Malts OB
5 Brora 1975 20 year 60.75% Rare Malts OB
6 Brora 1972 29 year 51% 228 bottles Douglas Laing Platinum Selection
7 Brora 1971 29 year 50% 210 bottles Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask

TASTING NOTES , tasted in this order

1 - Brora 1971 29 year 50% 210 bottles Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask
Nose
First impression is excellent similar to the 72 Brora but more refined, less aggressive.
Brine, seaweed, lemon, lime uncooked root vegetables, damp earth and peppery peat.
Faint hints of breakfast marmalade, pumice stone, pebbles.
Palate
More power than expected, the peat is in your face from the start, pepper and some nice lime skin notes mixed with a little salt but also something slightly drying, almost cardboardy.
The fruit is coming through but checked by wave after wave of peat and it gets a little sweeter, white fruits here of apple, hints of apricot and lemon.
The peat angle seams to subside and lets the fruit breakout, this is well balanced.
Finish
Long, peppery, lip smacking, no peat monster as such just quality.

2 - Brora 1972 29 year 51% 228 bottles Douglas Laing Platinum Selection
Nose
Yup it is a farmy one excellent, peat, mud, farmyard smells (animal pens), black pepper, sweet peat, hints of orange and lemon.
The fruit & peat really complement each other here.
Palate
Quite a lot of white fruit at the start but it is then swamped by the peat, or so I thought at first but the fruit returns, good balance.
The fruit increases, apple, mango, a little pineapple, unripe pear, then the peat caresses your tongue
Really fresh, just excellent
Finish
Not massive but very pleasant, remaining slightly sweet with peat in the background becoming slightly drying.
The fruit towards the end is like a bag of white & yellow wine gums

This has superb balance and was more restrained than I was expecting, top drawer malt.


3 - Brora 1972 22 year 58.7% Rare Malts OB 95
Nose
Famyard smells galore, hay, cowbarns, animal sheds, faint manure (if you can believe in a good way)
Peat, salt, damp hay, wet granite, slight orange breakfast marmalade note, a little ginger, pepper, hints of nectarine.
Great nose.
Palate
At first you get a lovely bag of fruit gums then the peat tries to rip the front of your tongue off, your mouth needs to acclimatise to this, superb balance.
Plenty of ginger spice mixing with the peat, so fresh, not overpowering, orange, apricot, dried peels and that lovely spicy peppery peat.
Finish
Good length, remaining composed, absolutely nothing out of place

4 - Brora 1972 22 year 61.1% Rare Malts OB
Nose
I left this in the glass for 10 minutes or so and the fruit notes have definitely increased.
I think this one will be less smoky and more fruity than the 58.7% version.
Again a bag of wine gums, orange, lemon, a little fresh pineapple but the salt, smoke and peat are in the background but unlike the 58.7% this is not a farmyard one on the nose, the fruit is the dominant factor here with a little white pepper thrown in.
Palate
Bags of really zesty fruit, oh hang on, here it comes an avalanche of peat is approaching, or it?
A wave of peat hits your tongue but then is disappears leaving the fruit and a pepper note.
There is a battle royal going on between the sumptuous fruit and the peat/pepper, I am almost drooling, just excellent.
Over time the fruit wins by a whisker
Finish
Long, peppery, moreish with a fruit blast in the tail

This has more fruit than the 58.7% 1972 but less power and slightly less depth of profile overall.

5 - Brora 1974 30 year 56.6% 3rd Official Release

Nose
Smokey, ashy, peaty, hints of fruit like orange & grapefruit.
The peat & orange notes grow in the glass mixed with ginger.
The smoke notes increase and there it is the classic Brora farm yard smell, stables, hay. mud etc.
I would put this nose right between the 58.7% & 61.1% Rare Malts bottles.

Palate
The peat has almost cut my tongue in two but there is also a little bitterness that I do not believe I have detected in the 2004 before?
Great mouthfeel, very spicy, pepper, peat, a little salt, orange, apricot.
Great balance with waves of peat returning and it is actually more peppery than anything else (black pepper)

Finish
Long, remaining fresh and peaty until the end

6 - Brora 1975 20 year 60.75% Rare Malts OB
Nose
Your nose tingles you can smell the power in this one, white fruits by the bucket load, warm pastries, a little salt, white pepper,
There is some peat but it’s in the background at the moment.
Palate
Plenty of pineapple and grapefruit but masses of peat take over and there is a little bitterness,
A little pear but the overriding thing here is peat but the white fruit compliments this nicely.
More fruit emerges mixing with the pepper it really is a 50/50 split between fruit & peat.
Finish
Long, getting slightly dry with the fruit finally right on the tail taming the peat for a breakout.

7 - Glen Garioch (Coilltean) 1975 57% 480 bottles Samaroli Flowers
Nose
This is great, plenty of depth, no one flavour sticks out at first,, but the peat and cream aspect very slowly, plenty of fruit on show, lemon, pineapple, apple, and a faint cheese note like Dutch Edam, sounds weird but it is in a good way.
Grapefruit notes emerge, mixing with the peat.
Palate
Very spicy, peppery & peaty with lots of white fruit and some exotic fruits, great balance on show here, icing sugar and the peat comes in waves, with a spicy tang thrown in for good measure.
The fruit increase as doe the peat & spice and the peat it trying to rip my tongue in half, luckily the fruit checks it just in time.
Finish
Long, spicy, peaty and slightly creamy remaining vibrant until the end.
_________________
Pour me a glass please.