New Release: Braeval 1991-2017 25 Year Old Douglas Laing Xtra Old Particular #DL11765 42.3%

We reconfirmed the flavors that emerge in whiskies where alcohol strength has decreased through aging. Braeval BRAEVAL 1991-2017 25yo DOUGLAS LAING XTRA OLD PARTICULAR #DL11765 42.3% One of 253 bottles, REFILL HOGSHEAD The aroma features estery fruits with a matured character, reminiscent of peach and pineapple fruit tea, alongside vanilla and custard cream. On the palate, it offers the sweetness and acidity of fresh mixed fruit juice, with a light-bodied yet slightly briny fruity finish. [Good/Very Good, Interesting] This is a new release from Douglas Laing's flagship series, the Xtra Old Particular, featuring Braeval 1991 aged for 25 years. Braeval (formerly Braxfield) is rarely bottled, making this a long-awaited release. Honestly, it feels like an extremely fruity Speyside malt that has significantly reduced in alcohol strength through aging. While the body is somewhat light, the estery and diverse fruity character is prominent in both aroma and flavor. It evokes the taste of mixed juice, while also carrying nuances reminiscent of vanilla and custard, akin to a fruit cake. This is a typical nuance often found in older releases like Duncan Taylor's Pears Collection. As I've written before, when a malt is aged to an extreme degree, the body may diminish but an estery fruity character emerges. It seems that distilleries with slightly weaker spirit profiles are more prone to this phenomenon. This release, unlike the 1960s-era spirits common in early agency bottlings like Pears, uses a 1990s distillation. Yet, the similar nuances were still present, which was intriguing and reaffirmed that such characteristics can emerge across different eras. Personally, while I find this type of whisky enjoyable, it sometimes feels slightly lacking. However, Douglas Laing's decision to release this under their XOP label suggests they recognize value in such profiles. In that sense, it was an interesting bottling.