Royal Brackla 12 Year Old Scotch Review

Updated August 16, 2022

By Richard Thomas

Average Rating: B

Introducing a distillery to The Whiskey Reviewer readership is a rarity these days, so it’s refreshing to take on task for Royal Brackla. The distillery was started in 1812 by an ex-soldier, Captain William Fraser, on the estate of the Earl of Cawdor. Despite frequently clashing with local tax officials on whether or not he had to pay for his evaporated spirit (“angel’s share”), Fraser’s whisky managed to garner the attention of King William IV. In 1833, his distillery became the first to earn a Royal Warrant, effectively becoming the official whisky of the British monarch.

The distillery underwent the vagaries common to antique Scottish distilleries, so it has been shuttered, bought and sold multiple times in the two centuries since its foundation. Today it is part of the Dewar’s portfolio, which in turn is owned by Bacardi. The current core line of single malts from Royal Brackla dates back several years, but it was recently revamped.

The Scotch
I found the pour surprisingly dark for a 12 year old malt, but certainly not amber. It’s more like tarnished gold, were such a thing possible. The nose delivers a hefty dollop of malty honey and dry Sherry, tinged with a sliver of dry oak. The flavor builds on that, adding vanilla to the honey sweetness, black pepper to that background oaky note, and nuttiness to the current of Sherry wine.

The finish goes farther and reverses expectations, opening with a peppery, woody note, only to fade to the wine fruit, honey sweet side. Mind you, I found this turn to the sweet aspects in the finish a faint one, coming only after the wood and pepper were gone, but it was there and turned the whole closing of the show on its head. For that reason alone, it’s an interesting standout for a 12 year old malt.

Addendum by Elizabeth Emmons

In the glass, Brackla 12 is a medium yellow gold in appearance. In keeping with the arrival of autumn, the color reminds me of oak leaves in the northeast as they take on their golden fall color. Legs are quite apparent, yet drip down quickly. As such, the mouth feel is slightly oily and not very viscous.

The nose is light, with hints of almond paste, light caramel, smooth vanilla, and sweet nut bread or cornbread with a molasses glaze; the sweetness is a nod to the first fill Oloroso Sherry casks it aged in. Each time I smelled this, I salivated so there is a clear connection between food and this dram.

The taste at first is airy and quite smooth. It begins fruity, with hints of pineapple (a tartness), the middle manifests itself with a minimal peppery tingling on the side of the tongue, and the end returns to bright fruits such as apple. The finish is consistent with the light pepper and fruits and is medium-dry. Let the finish continue for about a minute and it becomes drier and drier.

Overall, this is a drinkable whiskey and would likely be crowd-pleaser in the sense that its sweetness and minimal complexity makes it easy to drink. That being said, it is bottled at the minimum of 40% ABV and quite expensive compared to what I think to be comparable options. It would make a nice gift, though, as the bottle design is decorative with its royal motif and is substantial with its large bottle and cork top. It would fit nicely on anyone’s bar.

The Price
Expect to pay about $85 a bottle in the US.