Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 years old Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 60,3%

Two casks, filled on the same day, with numbers running back to back. They are still not the same — this one held on to an extra percent and carries a different edge on the palate.

Expert description

Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 Years is a Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky from Refill Butt #6393, bottled at cask strength, 60.3%, with natural colour.

Distilled on 16 February 2000 and bottled on 18 February 2021, twenty-one years later almost to the day. The cask gave 591 bottles, and the whisky is bottled without dilution and without added colour.

Braeval sits high in the Braes of Glenlivet and supplies almost entirely to blends. The spirit is light and floral, and a quiet refill cask lets exactly that character show rather than wrapping it in sherry.

Tasting notes

Nose

Green apple and hay with lemon marmalade, pale oak and a stroke of almond.

Palate

Sharp and fresh with green fruit, honey and grain. The 60.3% brings a dry intensity that calls for water.

Finish

Long and dry with oak, grain and a lightly bitter citrus note.

Specifications

Name: Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 Years Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 60.3%
Distillery: Braeval
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 21 years
ABV: 60,3%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Butt #6393
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 16/02/2000
Bottled: 18/02/2021
Number of bottles: 591
EAN no.: 5021944111930

Flavour profile

Fresh · Fruity · Dry · Floral · Powerful

Investment potential

Medium. A single cask of 591 bottles with a twenty year old vintage from a distillery without official bottlings.

Did you know?

Signatory Vintage numbers its casks consecutively, and casks bought in the same lot often carry numbers back to back. That makes it possible to taste through sister casks from the same day.

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Frequently asked questions about Braeval 2000/2021 Signatory Vintage 21 Years Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 60.3%

Why is the strength higher than in the sister cask?

Because evaporation in a warehouse varies from cask to cask. Position, the density of the wood and the cask's previous contents all affect how much disappears and what remains.

Is 60.3% too much?

Not if you use water. At that strength the alcohol dominates the first nose, but the whisky opens markedly when you dilute towards 48 to 50%.

Is it worth the money?

Twenty-one years, one cask, 591 bottles and a distillery that does not release single malt itself. It is the combination of age and unavailability that carries the bottle.

What is a butt?

The largest common whisky cask, typically around 500 litres. Large casks mature more slowly than small ones, because there is less wood per litre of liquid.

Can I keep it?

Yes, whisky does not develop in the bottle. Store it upright, dark and cool and it will hold unchanged for decades.

What is the difference between Signatory's series?

The Cask Strength Collection is bottled without dilution, while other series are reduced to 43 or 46%. There are also 100 Proof and Small Batch series with profiles of their own. See the selection under Independent Whisky Bottlers.