Royal Brackla 40 years Old Private Collection 45.9% 1964

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Serge Valentin (87)

I haven’t tried many very old Bracklas, so I’m very curious now. Colour: amber. Nose: wonderful! There’s some varnish again (cellulosic), then old walnuts, overripe apples, polished wood, cigars, old palo cortado and plenty of marmalade. This baby evokes ‘a walk in an old dunnage warehouse’ and it’s all very brilliant, with a wonderful wee mustiness. Mouth: sure the oak’s a little loud and bitter, but there are stunning tropical fruits underneath. I detect mangos, papayas for sure (rather tinned papaya juice), then some barley sugar and touches of sugarcane, before more cinnamon and nutmeg from the oak start to take control. Maybe also passion fruit ice cream? It’s all quite dual, on the one hand it’s rather too oaky, but on the other hand the fruitiness is fabulous. Good mouth feel, good body. Finish: that’s where the wood really takes over – and kills the fruits. That’s nasty! Peppery and very cinnamony aftertaste. Comments: the balance is fragile, but there are stunning fruity afterglows.