Scotland, Northern Highlands. Distillery operational. Owner: BacardiDespite its exceptional pedigree, Royal Brackla is and always has been a blender's malt. And yet, few distillers can lay claim to such a heritage. Founded in 1812, King William IV granted it the “Royal” epitaph in 1835, making it the first distillery to receive the distinction. During the Second World War, it housed the Royal Air Force Air Gunnery School and became an alternative landing strip. Having been the property of John Bisset & Co since 1926, it then joined the Distillers Company Ltd in 1943 (the future United Distillers). In addition to playing a key role in the blends Bisset, Johnnie Walker and Dewars, in the 1990s it was given a special place in the Rare Malts Selection and Flora & Fauna ranges. Nonetheless, it was primarily saved from oblivion by two exceptional editions, the Royal Brackla 1924, 60 Year Old, limited to 62 bottles worldwide, which was bottled to mark the reopening of the distillery in 1991; and a decanter from the same year produced in 60 editions for the Japanese market.

A single cask Royal Brackla (#305112) distilled in 2008 and bottled in 2019 by Signatory Vintage. Signatory Vintage was founded in 1988 by Andrew Symington, who previously worked at Prestonfield House, Edinburgh, where he would select casks specially for the hotel. In 2002, he bought the Edradour distillery in Pitlochry, in the Highlands of Scotland and moved Signatory Vintage vintage to the site, including the warehouses opposite the distillery. A limited edition of 170 bottles for La Maison du Whisky, a whisky and spirits importer and distributor founded by Georges Bénitah in 1956. The cask was selected by the team from La Maison du Whisky’’s store at 20 Rue d’’Anjou, Paris.