Royal Brackla 21 Year Old

A truly exceptional Sherried Single Malt from Royal Brackla — elegant in simplicity, perfection in execution.

In 1812, Captain William Fraser of Brackla House built his distillery on the grounds of Cawdor Castle — just a bit too far west to be considered a Speyside, so a Highlander it is. King William IV liked it so much he awarded them a “Royal Warrant” to keep him well supplied. Thus they became the Royal Brackla Distillery and have been called “The King’s Own Whisky” ever since. Queen Victoria renewed it in 1838. The turn of the century brought a series of acquisitions, mergers, and buy-out. It has been closed twice for major renovations and repairs, but has other wise been in continuous operation. Formerly owned by Diageo, it became a part of the Bacardi portfolio when they acquired John Dewer & Sons in 2014.

There are three releases in the line of Royal Brackla Single Malts, and Royal Brackla 21 Years Old is the top-of-the-line. All of the Bracklas are distilled slowly, allowing the reflux heads on the still to slowly work their magic as Single Malt rain falling inside the still. The distillate is then aged exclusively in a trio of Spanish Sherry casks — Oloroso, Palo Cortado, and Pedro Ximenez — for twenty-one years. It is a truly exquisite dram to be savored whenever one has the opportunity and means to do so.

Smartass Corner:
Royal Brackla was the first distillery ever granted a Royal Warrant to create Whisky for a king — in this case William IV in 1833.