The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
Corrected September 19, 2022
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B
Royal Brackla 18 Year Old
(Credit: Dewar’s/Bacardi)
The middle rung of Royal Brackla’s regular range of single malts offers something special for fans of Sherried whiskies. This 18 year old single malt is finished in Palo Cortado Sherry casks. If that term leaves you scratching your head, read on.
This is a rare type of Sherry that starts out as aging under the flor, with an eye on becoming either a Fino or Amontillado. To become a Palo Cortado, that cap of flor must fall apart, exposing the wine to the air inside the cask and promoting oxidation. The result is a Sherry that sits between Oloroso and Amontillado. The fact that a cask of Palo Cortado usually results from a twist of fate rather than design marks it out as an exotic beast indeed.
As with the other regular Royal Brackla malts, the 18 year old is bottled at a strong 46% ABV.
The Scotch
The color of this pour is straight golden. Sniffing at the glass reveals a very understated Sherry finish; a fruity current of pineapple and Granny Smith apples sits at the center, accented with bourbon vanilla and a twinge of mild, but spicy oak. Yet the Sherry elements come more to the fore on the palate, which enjoys a decidedly creamy mouthfeel. The fruity core becomes peaches and lemon zest, with toffee joining the bourbon-esque vanilla, and that spicy twinge turning to ginger. The mild, oaky spice note runs on in the finish.
Although it’s a good pour, I was left somewhat disappointed in this malt. For a middle aged whisky with a most unusual pedigree, Royal Brackla 18 Year Old is almost ordinary. There are better mid-rung malts for the money, and the Palo Cortado influence doesn’t sing clear or strong here.
The Price
The recommended retail price on this item is $299.99. Although I found a few online retailers inexplicably charging $100 a bottle (!!), others have this one marked up to $330.
