BRAES OF GLENLIVET 1989 19YO - CADENHEAD AUTHENTIC COLLECTION

It's no secret that some distilleries are more popular than others and when looking at different online whisky shops, I often see empty product categories and/or sold out labels across the pictures of these popular ones... However, one category that is also often empty is the Braes of Glenlivet aka Braeval, but not because its popular but because there's not much of it around - why, you ask?

Well, there's several reasons...

It is, in distillery terms, a fairly 'new' place, starting production in 1973 under the Braes of Glenlivet name. The name was then changed to Braeval in 1994 to prevent mistaken identity with nearby Glenlivet distillery. Owners Chivas Bros has never been promoted it as a single malt as almost all of its production is used as a dressing malt in Chivas Bros' blends. Add to that that the distillery has been closed from 2002 to 2008 means that the few releases available now all carries a bit of age.

Still, there's a few bottlings to be found here and there and I suggest you try it if you like a light, yet full flavoured single malt. I'd place my bets on Cadenhead and/or Signatory if you want try this malt. In fact, this particular expression was so good that it was voted overall best bottling at the Cadenhead tasting I hosted about a month ago, with 2 votes more than a 27yo Highland Park from a sherry cask - how about that? Personally, I had it in 2nd...

So, what's all the fuss about?

Braes of Glenlivet or Braeval as the distillery is called today, May 3rd 2010 © The Malt Desk

Braes of Glenlivet (Braeval) 1989 19yo (xx.xx.1989/xx.10.2008) 58,4%, ex-bourbon hogshead, 240 bottles, Cadenhead Authentic Collection

Colour is pale straw

Nose:

You need to be careful with this one as its 58,4% - Chances are you'll numb your nose trying to pick up the delicate nose of this one and instead only get alcohol and we don't want that!

There's pear, grassy, vanilla, honey, hint of pineapple, ginger and a little spicy oak and delicious malt notes... This reminds me quite a lot of Glenmorangie 10 back in the early 00's - lovely!

Taste:
Again, you also need to be careful with this one on the palate. make sure you have either plenty of saliva or just a little water to take the top of the alcohol here.

This one starts with grass and white wine cooler, overripe pear, cider and then heads off in the sweet and spicy direction with vanilla, raspberry and ginger notes. The addition of water makes the whole thing rather creamy and extremely malty - a trait I really like and also allows fruit notes dressed in barley sugar to really play on the finish.

I could drink this all evening...

89/100!

BRAEVAL 1996 - BLACKADDER RAW CASK

Located off the beaten path high up in hills in Speyside on the edge of the Cairngorm Mountains and not far from Tamnavulin and Glenlivet distilleries, you'll find Braeval. Originally named 'Braes of Glenlivet' it was quickly renamed 'Braeval' when current owners Pernod Ricard (Chivas Bros.) bought the distillery back around 2001 to prevent 'Braes' from being mistaken with their bread winner, Glenlivet...

As I mentioned, Braeval is located high up in the hills, actually there's a bit of a dispute with Dalwhinnie Distillery just off the A9 main road about which distillery is the one located at the highest point in Scotland. Dalwhinnie is located 10 miles north of Drumochter pass which is 460 meters above sea level. Dalwhinnie is supposedly 351 meters above sea level coming down on the north side of the pass. Braeval is, according to other surveys, located 355 meters above sea level but there's never been an exact survey establishing which distillery is located highest up.

Going to Braeval takes you off the smaller country road, the B9008 and after a couple of miles on a side road stopping for sheep with lambs and thinking you'll never find a distillery out here, there it is...

The Braeval whisky is light in style with lots of volatile fruity notes, IMO so it's with much anticipation I dive into this sherry cask expression, as I feared it might be over powered by the cask influence...

Here's my take on it...

Braeval Distillery, May 5th 2013 © The Malt Desk

Braeval 1996 12yo (xx.11.1996/xx.10.2009) 57,3% Sherry butt#4904, 488 bottles, Blackadder Raw Cask

Colour is light amber

Nose:
Sweet apple, white pepper, vanilla, baked banana, slight milk chocolaty notes and thin coffee, bit of crushed walnut. Alcohol carrying it all to your nose very aggressively, so this needs to be nosed very carefully.

Taste:
Vanilla, honey, crisp malt and very light in style in spite of the sherry cask influence (great!), cinnamon, apple again, caramelised white garden fruits, caramel desserts, also thingking vanilla ice cream with light caramel tough here... The sherry is certainly peeping through as a an accelerant towards the finish where it gives off a short alcohol burst but then mellows out on a slight burnt sugar note.

This is an very nice dram, indeed... I love to see the light style of Braeval still coming through even though its been matured in a sherry cask, though it's maybe not the most active one... but it's still enough to give it more than a touch of sherry notes.

Thanks to JC for bringing this to a recent private function

The score for me on this one creeps up to...

87/100!