Brora 35 Year 2013 Release 750ML

Brora 35 Year 2013 Release 750ML is a 35-year-old Highland single malt Scotch whisky bottled at 49.9% ABV, distilled in 1977 at the now-legendary closed Brora distillery. Awarded 95 points by Whisky Advocate, this expression is drawn from one of only 2,944 bottles produced, making it among the most collectible annual Brora releases from Diageo's Special Releases program.

Quick Facts: ABV: 49.9%  |  Origin: Highlands, Scotland  |  Age: 35 Years (Distilled 1977)  |  Distillery: Brora

Production & Heritage

Brora distillery, originally known as Clynelish, was founded in 1819 by the Duke of Sutherland in the northern Highlands of Scotland. It was renamed Brora in 1969 when a new, larger Clynelish distillery was built adjacent to it. Between 1969 and 1973, Brora famously produced heavily peated malt to compensate for an Islay whisky shortage caused by drought — a period that gave the distillery its cult reputation. By 1977, when this particular spirit was distilled, Brora had returned to a lighter peating regime, resulting in a more delicate smokiness layered beneath its signature waxy character. The distillery closed in 1983, and this 2013 release was matured in a combination of refill American oak and European oak casks for 35 years before bottling at a robust natural strength of 49.9%. Now owned by Diageo, Brora was reopened in 2021, but remaining casks from the original production era — like this one — are finite and irreplaceable.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Opens with zesty orchard fruit and ripe stone fruit, unfolding into vanilla pastry and a faint farmyard earthiness. Behind the fruit sits a subtle wisp of smoke and brine — hallmarks of Brora's coastal Highland terroir.

Taste: The entry is sweet and distinctly waxy, almost oily in texture, with pineapple and polished wood giving way to herbal complexity at mid-palate. Heather and ginger spice emerge alongside lemony citrus notes, while a gentle medicinal smokiness and muddied dark chocolate deepen the profile toward the peak. Liquorice and mulchy hay add an earthy, autumnal quality.

Finish: Long and drying, moving from aniseed and black pepper through fruity tannins and dark chocolate bitterness. A final thread of ashy smoke and sea air lingers well after each sip, reinforcing the distillery's coastal character.

How to Drink Brora 35

Neat in a tulip-shaped glass is the definitive serve; a few drops of water can unlock additional waxy and floral dimensions, but ice would mute the extraordinary complexity of a whisky this old and rare. Given its scarcity and collectible status, cocktail use is not recommended — this is a whisky to savor slowly. If one were to explore mixing with a similarly aged spirit, a minimal-ingredient preparation like a Smoky Highball (light soda, no garnish) would preserve character, a Bobby Burns (sweet vermouth, Bénédictine) would complement its herbal depth, and a simple Whisky Sour would contrast its waxy sweetness with citrus acidity — though most collectors would consider any of these a form of sacrilege.

Best For

• Commemorating a milestone birthday or anniversary with a truly irreplaceable whisky
• Anchoring a serious single malt tasting alongside other closed-distillery bottlings
• Gifting to a dedicated Scotch collector who values rarity and provenance
• Adding a trophy bottle to a curated whisky cabinet or investment portfolio

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Brora 35 taste like? Brora 35 Year 2013 is dominated by a waxy, sweet profile with orchard fruit, pineapple, and dark chocolate, layered over gentle peat smoke and coastal brine. The finish is long and drying with aniseed, black pepper, and fruity tannins.

How does Brora 35 compare to Talisker 30 Year Old? Both are aged Diageo Highland/Island malts with maritime character, but Brora 35 delivers a more waxy, fruity, and subtly peated profile, while Talisker 30 tends toward a bolder pepper-and-smoke intensity. Brora's closed-distillery status also gives it a collectibility that Talisker, as an active distillery, does not share.

Is Brora 35 good for sipping neat? Absolutely — neat is the ideal way to experience this whisky. Its 49.9% ABV provides enough structure to carry three-and-a-half decades of cask influence without overwhelming the palate.

Where is Brora 35 made? Brora 35 was distilled at the Brora distillery in Sutherland, in the northern Highlands of Scotland, near the village of Brora on the North Sea coast. The distillery originally operated from 1819 to 1983 before being reopened by Diageo in 2021.

What foods pair well with Brora 35? Aged Comté or Gruyère cheese highlights the waxy texture; smoked salmon echoes the coastal brine; dark chocolate truffles (70%+ cacao) mirror the finish's chocolate and spice; poached stone fruit with honey complements the orchard-fruit aromatics; and roasted venison with juniper berries bridges the herbal, earthy mid-palate.

What sizes does Brora 35 come in? The Brora 35 Year 2013 Release was issued in the standard 750ml bottle format as part of Diageo's annual Special Releases collection.

Is Brora 35 worth the price? Brora 35 positions firmly in the ultra-premium, collector-grade tier of single malt Scotch. With only 2,944 bottles produced from a distillery that was closed for nearly four decades, secondary-market values have appreciated significantly since the 2013 release, and the 95-point Whisky Advocate score confirms the liquid quality matches the rarity.

Why Brora 35?

The 2013 Release represents one of the final opportunities to taste spirit from Brora's original 1977 production — a vintage that captures the distillery's post-heavy-peat era, when a lighter smokiness had returned alongside the waxy, fruity house style that made Brora famous. Scoring 95 points from Whisky Advocate and 94 on Wine-Searcher's aggregate, this bottling delivers critical acclaim that matches its pedigree. Limited to 2,944 bottles worldwide and drawn from refill American and European oak casks, it is both a museum piece of Scottish distilling history and a genuinely exceptional whisky on its own merits. For collectors and serious malt enthusiasts, bottles from the original Brora era are a diminishing resource — each one opened is one fewer left in existence.