95 / 100
This 1978 vintage from Gordon & MacPhail is a serious piece for any high-end collection. With Brora being a closed distillery, the scarcity alone drives the floor price, and this Rare Old bottling holds its own against official releases. The first-fill sherry influence is controlled, allowing that classic waxiness to show. It is a bottle worth chasing before the supply dries up further.
Reviewed by Tony Money
- Nose
- Waxy textures with dense rhubarb jam, soft peat smoke and peppermint, hints of engine oil and dried hay
- Palate
- Polished oak and rose petal notes, heavy wax and honey core, smoked meat and rare fruit like plum
- Finish
- Long finish with milk chocolate, lingering salt and bacon, subtle minty smoke