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 Royal Brackla 20 year old distilled in 1978 and bottled at cask strength in 1998 for the Rare Malts series. Created in the mid-1990s by United Distillers (Diageo), the Rare Malts series features bottlings from many of the group’’s distilleries, including some of the lesser known whose production was generally used for blends, as well as closed distilleries such as Port Ellen and Brora. Bottled at cask strength, the whiskies in the range are also known for their sometimes astounding alcohol content, often exceeding 60% ABV. The Rare Malts range was discontinued in 2005.