ROYAL BRACKLA 1924 60 YEAR OLD
DISTILLERY ACTIVE
Auction: 5 December 2018 at 18:00 GMT
Description
bottle number 9 of 62, bottled to commemorate the reopening of the distillery in 1991
Dimensions
75cl/ 40%
Footnote
Note: Founded in 1812 by Captain William Fraser of Brackla House on the estate of Cawdor Castle, Brackla Distillery became the first distillery to be granted a Royal Warrant after its selection by King William IV to be his whisky at the Royal Court in 1833. This seal of royal approval led to Royal Brackla being known as 'The King's Own Whisky'. The Morning Chronicle reported on the 20 January 1835 that 'His Majesty having been pleased to distinguish this 'by his Royal Command to supply his establishment' has placed this whisky first on the List of British Spirits, and when known should in truth be termed 'The Drink Divine'. The royal approval continued with Queen Victoria having renewed Brackla's Royal Warrant in 1838. Royal Brackla is also notable for being one of the malts from which Andrew Usher created the first blended whisky in the 1860s. Usher was agent for Royal Brackla and became a director in 1887.
The Scotch Whisky Industry experienced a major slump during the 1980s resulting in the closure of a number of distilleries. The doors of Royal Brackla were locked from 1985 to 1991 and it is due to this period in the distilleries history that this bottle exists. A cask was discovered by chance in 1984 after it lay undisturbed for 60 years and was promptly bottled for 'a special occasion'. That turned out to be two occasions. Sixty bottles were produced to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Emperor Hirohito's accession to the throne in 1986 and a further sixty-two bottles to celebrate the reopening of the distillery in 1991. We can only image what flavours and aromas would emanate from a glass of this whisky, but surely it will be fit for a King & Queen.