Diageo Is Only Releasing One Decanter Of This 50-Year-Old Brora Single Malt Scotch

Heading to auction this October.

Ask anyone about the qualities that lend themselves to a luxury Scotch, and you’re likely to get a multitude of answers. But it very well might come down to time, patience (lots of patience) and perhaps a bit of luck and ingenuity.

Each of those factors are at play in the mysterious, just-announced Brora Iris 50-Year Single Malt, a whisky that’s quite literally been resurrected and brought forth into the public eye by Diageo.

The super-premium liquid was just announced by the spirits giant as part of this October’s forthcoming The Distillers’ One of One Charity Auction, which serves up some of the most rare Scotch on the planet for a good cause.

Here’s where the story gets even more intriguing: Brora only reopened in 2021 following a “brick-by-brick restoration” that brought the Highland distillery back to life after its 1983 closure.

And prior to that, Brora had more than 160 years of distilling history to its name. This latest release (a true one-decanter exclusive) carries on that legacy in fine fashion, derived from the distillery’s ghost stock (and a very small amount, at that).

The bottle is also presented in exceedingly rare fashion: The elegant decanter is housed in a sand limestone sculpture made from the same stone as the revamped distillery.

The latest expression (the oldest ever released by Brora) is exquisite in every detail, whisky expert Charles MacLean told Diageo, noting that “the aroma opens a door to the past and reveals Brora: perfectly presented, alive today and correct in every detail.”

With deep amber color and what Diageo calls a rich, elegant body, there’s a symphony of light oak spice, sweetness and savory notes on the palate, with a gentle, warming finish bolstered by touches of ginger spice.

Accordingly, this luxurious whisky could fetch as much $650,000 at The Distillers’ One of One Charity Auction at Scotland’s Hopetoun House on October 5th.

Incredibly enough, the Brora story likely won’t end there.

According to its Web site, Diageo notes that the “eventual owner” of Brora will be invited to explore its hallowed grounds and “unlock the glorious yet elusive past, present and future of this legendary distillery.”

Keep an eye on the road ahead for this reinvigorated distillery, because the Brora story very well might have further chapters to come.