ROYAL BRACKLA 1972-1988 15yo INTRETRADE

A very high proof whisky, with the drinking period still continuing. The aroma combines refined nuances and stimulation, with a faint old-world feel and youthful strong barley notes, honey-like sweetness, fresh orange, hay-like botanicals, and cinnamon. When drinking, it's spicy and tingling, with a refined citrusy character and strong barley notes. It has a chewy umami flavor, initially tingling but gradually becoming a texture that wraps around the tongue. A honey-based rich sweetness with a clean, pleasant aftertaste. [Very Good] INTRETRADE bottled ROYAL BRACKLA 1972, aged for 15 years in 1988. With an alcohol content close to 65%, it has a stimulating aroma but also gives an interesting first impression of slight old-world character. The plain cask notes show a strong, youthful barley presence, with fresh citrus and hay-like elements emerging from the background. When drinking, there's a spicy attack from the cask notes without added flavoring, but gradually a viscous texture becomes noticeable. The straightforward barley umami with chewy richness and sweet, honey-like depth is appealing, offering a delicious balance of strong umami without tiring the palate. Although the high proof stimulation is present in both aroma and flavor, it also begins to show matured, smooth nuances, which was very interesting. This impression suggests the stimulation is starting to mellow, but originally it must have been quite sharp. Even after 28 years since bottling, the stimulation remains, resulting in this intriguing finish. It's very intriguing to wonder what flavor it would take on if the stimulation faded further.