After being silent for 38 years, the highland distillery Brora is being brought back online by Diageo in mid-May 2021. Diageo announced the reopening of Brora, alongside Islay distillery Port Ellen, in 2017 but it wasn’t until this week that a more specific date was revealed.
To accompany this reopening in May, Brora have released the Triptych Collection. Perhaps anticipating the new direction for Brora, a ‘triptych’ is traditionally a work of art in three pieces, and the term originates from classical art in Ancient Greece. This brand new collection contains three rare bottlings that each represent a different style of the classic Brora whisky. All three 500ml bottles will be sold together and will retail for £30,000. It will be available from the distillery, specialist retailers, and Brora online. The expressions being released are:
- Brora Elusive Legacy 1972 48 Year Old
- Brora Age of Peat 1977 43 Year Old
- Brora Timeless Original 1982 38 Year Old
Each expression is some of the rarest Brora whisky in the style it represents. The Elusive Legacy is the oldest public release of Brora and it is already considered a collectible due to its scarcity. The Age of Peat expression is one of the few examples of a highly-peated Highland whisky and is indicative of the ‘classic’ Brora style. Finally the Timeless Original, whilst the youngest in the set, contains elements that made the Brora name famous.
Only 300 Triptych collections have been produced and they won’t be available for purchase until Brora’s stills run once more. Those who do get their hands on the Triptych collection will be invited by Master Distiller Stewart Bowman to experience the new Brora facility.
Could this announcement be signalling a turn towards the luxury whisky market for Brora, alongside the likes of Macallan or Bowmore?
For more information about Brora have a look at our WhiskyFun top 5 Brora bottles and the top 5 most expensive Brora bottles at auction