Cuvée presentation
Single cask Brora (#1084), distilled in 1981, matured in a sherry cask and bottled in 2000 by Signatory Vintage. Its founder, Andrew Symington, began working in whisky by selecting casks for Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh, an experience that led him to establish Signatory Vintage in 1988. Symington invested in a small bottling line, which he installed in his Edinburgh warehouses. From the outset, he bottled whisky at cask strength, without chill filtration or added colouring, practices that were still relatively uncommon in the late 1980s. The legendary “dumpy bottle” series also provided details rarely disclosed by bottlers at the time, including cask number and type and the number of bottles produced, with each bottle individually numbered by hand. Signatory Vintage built its reputation not only on landmark releases from legendary distilleries such as Springbank, Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Bowmore, but also on bottlings from exceptionally rare distilleries including Ben Wyvis, Glen Flagler and Killyloch. These were complemented by numerous releases distilled in Lomond stills at Miltonduff (Mosstowie), Glen Keith (Craigduff, Glenisla) and Glenburgie (Glencraig). In 2002, Andrew Symington acquired Edradour distillery in Pitlochry in the Highlands. Signatory Vintage also relocated there, with its warehouses now facing the distillery. Limited edition of 774 bottles.
The distillery Brora
Scotland, Northern Highlands. Distillery closed. Owner: Diageo
In the midst of the 1980s economic crisis, further accentuated by several decades of overproduction, Brora, like many Scottish distilleries, was forced to close on 17 March 1983. Founded in 1819 by the Marquess of Stafford in the village of Brora (Sutherland), it was originally named Clynelish. Swept up in the euphoria of the period following the end of WWII, the owners decided to increase its production capacity in 1967, building a new cutting edge production unit on the same site, dubbed Clynelish #2. To prevent confusion between the two distilleries, the historic site was renamed Brora in 1969 and its malt adopted a very peaty profile up until the late 1970s. For purists and “taste historians”, the 50s and 60s versions of Clynelish #1 (Clynelish 12 Year old Ainslie & Heilbron Distillers, Spring Cap, Clynelish 24 Year Old Cadenhead, Clynelish 28 Year old 1965 Signatory Vintage) have become so impossible to find that most would never even hope to experience them. The peated versions from the 1970s and more specifically those from 1972 (Brora 22 Year Old Rare Malts Selection 60.02% and Brora Old Map Label Connoisseurs Choice Gordon & MacPhail) are still available and an absolute must-have for any self-respecting enthusiast or collector.
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