Brora – 1972 Connoisseurs Choice (70cl, 40%)

Brora – 1972 Connoisseurs Choice is a whisky from Brora (Highland). Bottled at 40% ABV, 70cl. Built in 1819 and originally named Clynelish, Brora is one of Scotland’s Highland Clearance Distilleries. Built by the Duke of Sutherland as part of his new business enterprise, which brutally evicted some 15000 farmers from their homes as part of a cruel economic experiment that was happening all over the Highlands. Despite this somewhat inauspicious birth, the distillery eventually found its feet and by 1930 was owned by John Walker and DCL. With the demand for blends skyrocketing after World War 2, production was at an all time high and in 1967 the decision was taken to replace it with a newer, larger distillery next door (which for the time being was known as Clynelish 2). This wasn’t the end for the distillery though. After just a year of silence, production resumed at the old site making peated whisky to cover a shortfall during Caol Ila’s reconstruction, and in 1975 it was officially named Brora (because frankly having two distilleries with the same name was just stupid). Sadly it didn’t last, and in 1983 the distillery finally closed. Casks still remain slumbering in their warehouses, and are drip fed to the market in the form of Diageo’s Special Releases and the occasional indy bottling. Connoisseurs Choice is one of the most easily recognised ranges from the independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail. This range was launched by George Urquhart - one of the first of four generations of the family to build Gordon & MacPhail - back in the 1960s; a period where most malts were used in blends so this was quite an unusual move for the company. Perhaps due to the popularity surrounding blends, this range did well as the exception by showcasing some distilleries which had never before been bottled as single malts and thus, it has proved to be a hit for more than 35 years. This impressive vintage was distilled during a vital period in the distillery’s history when some exceptionally dry weather on Islay caused concern for the industry and heavily peated Islay malts were in short supply. Looking to this mainland distillery, Brora’s phenol levels were increased to compensate for this shortage until the end of the 1970’s.