Royal Brackla 2014 Little Brown Dog 12 yr Denmark Edition Sherry Butt Single Malt Whisky 53,7%

Royal Brackla has been distilling near Nairn, on the edge of the Highlands, since 1812. One old sherry cask started to seep, and that is how a small bottling made only for Denmark came about.

Expert's description

Royal Brackla 2014 Little Brown Dog 12 year is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in a refill sherry butt and bottled at 53.7%.

The spirit was distilled at Royal Brackla in 2014 and spent 12 years in a refill sherry butt, meaning a sherry cask that has been used before. In the end the butt began to leak. In March 2026 the whisky was moved into two casks, and LG Whisky bought one of them. LG Whisky was also there when Little Brown Dog bottled it on 27 July 2026. The result is 276 bottles, all of them for Denmark.

The cask was picked as a fruity spice bomb with an old-school sherry influence, balanced tannins and a very good integration between whisky and sherry.

Royal Brackla was the first distillery allowed to carry "Royal" in its name, and most of what it makes disappears into blends. That is why it is rare to meet it as a single malt from one cask.

Tasting notes

Nose

The colour is close to maple syrup. The nose opens with something like a pencil case, then moves on to sweet aged balsamic and cherry lips.

Palate

Jamaican ginger cake, Medjool dates and pipe tobacco. Sweet and spicy at the same time.

Finish

Cardamom cookies and glazed ginger.

Specifications

Name: Royal Brackla 2014 Little Brown Dog 12 year Refill Sherry Butt Single Highland Malt Whisky 53.7%
Distillery: Royal Brackla
Bottler: Little Brown Dog
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 year
ABV: 53.7%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Refill Sherry Butt
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2014
Bottled: 27 July 2026
Number of bottles: 276
Edition: Exclusive to Denmark, selected by LG Whisky

Flavour profile

Sherry-matured · Fruity · Spicy · Lightly sweet

Did you know?

Little Brown Dog began as a label on sample bottles. Andrew Smith shared his first bottling samples with friends under that name, borrowed from his own dog, who came along to tastings and distillery visits.

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Frequently asked questions about Royal Brackla 2014 Little Brown Dog 12 year

What does Royal Brackla 2014 Little Brown Dog 12 year taste like?

It is spicy and fruity with sherry up front. The palate brings Jamaican ginger cake, Medjool dates and pipe tobacco, and the finish carries cardamom cookies and glazed ginger. The nose offers sweet aged balsamic and cherry lips, and the tannins are well balanced.

How rare is this bottling?

Only 276 bottles exist, and all of them were made for Denmark. The sherry butt started to leak, so the whisky was moved into two casks in March 2026, and only one of them was bought for this bottling. This exact cask will not come back.

What does refill sherry butt mean for the flavour?

The sherry is more restrained than in a first fill cask. A butt is a large sherry cask of roughly 500 litres, and refill means it has held whisky before. The whisky picks up sherry character without the spirit being drowned out.

Should I add water to a whisky at 53.7%?

Try it neat first. At 53.7% a few drops of water can take the edge off the alcohol and open up the spice and the sweet sherry. Ice dulls both the sweetness and the spice, so it works better without.

Who is behind Little Brown Dog?

Little Brown Dog is an independent bottler and micro-distillery in Aberdeenshire. It was founded in 2018 by Andrew Smith and Chris Reid, and the bottling takes place at Fetternear. The bottles are easy to spot thanks to the frosted dog silhouettes in the glass.

What kind of distillery is Royal Brackla?

Royal Brackla is a Highland distillery near Nairn, founded in 1812. It was the first distillery to be allowed to call itself Royal, after a warrant from King William IV. Today it belongs to John Dewar & Sons, which is owned by Bacardi. The style is fruity, malty and spicy.