Royal Brackla – 2014 10 Year Old Thompson Bros. (70cl, 55.3%)

This Royal Brackla was distilled in 2014 and matured for ten years in a recharred butt. Thompson Bros. bottled it in 2024 at 55.3% in a 70cl bottle, in an outturn of 387 bottles. It is non-chill-filtered and has no added colour. Thompson Bros. is the business of Phil and Simon Thompson, who built it from the bar of the Dornoch Castle Hotel and also run their own Dornoch Distillery. The nose offers salted caramel, toffee apple and pear with blossom pollen, sweet lemon and honey. On the palate are buttery, honeyed oat pastry, a malty beer note, pear, red apple, ginger and black pepper, with fresh oak. The finish returns to sweet lemon and pear and ends slightly sour.