Little Duos, today Braeval ex-sherry


October 11, 2024

WF’s Little Duos, today Braeval ex-sherry

Pernod-Ricard's Braeval, formerly Braes of Glenlivet, built in 1973 by Seagram, is not the prettiest distillery ever, but all those built in the 1970s were architecturally quite poor. The Boney Ms of distilleries. That said, the whiskies can be excellent – as you’ll tell me, all malts can be – especially those matured in good sherry casks.

Braeval 13 yo 2009/2022 (55%, North Star Spirits, sherry butts, 341 bottles)

Colour: gold. Nose: right off the bat, there’s a whiff of metal polish and copper (pennies), along with Fanta, geranium and tomato leaves, then walnut skins and a hint of rosehip tea. Cranberries as well. Not the easiest Speysider so far, but some intriguing facets. With water: much improved, showing a lovely earthy side, dunnage, and an old PX cask vibe... Mouth (neat): rather intense, peppery and metallic, with those Fanta notes again, then bay leaves and capers. With water: again, it gets earthier. Oranges and mushrooms, honeyed pecans, but still that metallic, peppery character which gives it a bit of a rustic feel. Finish: fairly long, now leaning more towards liquorice, mint, and caramel. That’s quite nice. A bitter aftertaste lingers. Comments: a feisty little creature in your glass.
SGP:361 - 80 points.

Braeval 23 yo 2000/2023 (57.9%, Whisky Age, sherry puncheon, cask #15631, 438 bottles)

These new Whisky Age labels from Taiwan are quite fun, with cats designed by artist Zhi Zhi making an appearance. Colour: gold. Nose: reminiscent of the North Star, slightly metallic and earthy, but with real oranges rather than Fanta, and a touch of pink pepper. There's also a whiff of walnut liqueur. As charming as Zhi Zhi's cats, at least for now. With water: milk chocolate infused with orange zest emerges beautifully. Mouth (neat): a lively sherry, quite peppery and almost sharp, with surprising notes of leek fondue and marrow dumplings. Some black nougat in the background too. With water: the nougat takes centre stage while the spices recede, turning the whole experience into something rather excellent. Roasted hazelnuts, chestnut honey, gianduja, toasted sesame, triple sec – all very, very good. Finish: long, mostly on chocolate and orange zest, with a hint of cinchona and walnut lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: best to keep some water handy for whiskies like this, as they can be a bit particular. Excellent stuff, but H2O is essential.
SGP: 551 – 87 points.

Check the index of all Braeval we've tasted so far