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Scotland · Highland

Royal Brackla Distillery

Royal Brackla combines long fermentation with tall, reflux-promoting stills to emphasise clean esters, orchard fruit and perfume rather than heavy sulphury weight.

Founded
1812
Region
Highland
Country
Scotland
Owner
John Dewar & Sons (Bacardi)
Location
Cawdor Estate, near Nairn, Scotland
Status
ACTIVE

House character

What makes the spirit taste as it does

Royal Brackla combines long fermentation with tall, reflux-promoting stills to emphasise clean esters, orchard fruit and perfume rather than heavy sulphury weight. The distillation regime produces a bright, relatively light spirit able to carry assertive sherry finishing. American-oak primary maturation followed by sherry-cask finishing supplies the richer dried-fruit and spice layer associated with the modern house range.

Cask 23 on this distillery

Why we pour it

Royal Brackla is a Highland distillery whose production is engineered toward elegance before the cask work begins. Long fermentation and tall, reflux-heavy stills favour a clean, fruity new make, while the current house range is then shaped through American-oak maturation and carefully chosen sherry finishes. That contrast explains why Royal Brackla can feel polished and perfumed at its core yet still carry substantial dried-fruit and spice richness.

Production

How it is made

Water

Production water is drawn from Cursack Springs; specialist technical sources distinguish this from Cawdor Burn/process-water supplies.

Malt

Unpeated malted barley; the distillery no longer operates floor maltings.

Fermentation

Eight washbacks are used: six wooden washbacks and two stainless-steel washbacks. Established specialist sources report a long fermentation of about 68-70 hours, used to favour ester-driven fruitiness.

Stills & distillation

Four copper pot stills: two wash stills and two spirit stills. The stills are tall with rising lyne arms, encouraging reflux and prolonged copper contact for a lighter, perfumed spirit.

Maturation

Official Royal Brackla releases mature first in American oak before finishing in selected sherry casks including Oloroso, Palo Cortado and Pedro Ximenez styles.

At the bar

Cask 23 drams from this distillery

Open these in the Dram Explorer

I/B Royal Brackla P/X Cask Finish Cask Strength

12 years · 55.5% ABV · Single malt

Mossburn Vintage Casks No. 41 — Royal Brackla 2008

16 years · 54.9% ABV · Single malt