Field Briefs June 2024: Brave New Spirits
The following three whiskies— and everything posted this week— come from the independent bottler Brave New Spirits. I tried them all during a local whisky event and then returned to them for a second taste a week or two later. Our guide for the Brave New Spirits tasting was excellent, especially under challenging circumstances as rain forced the tasting indoors. Though we had our own section of a busy restaurant, it did mean running from table to table explaining the whiskies and introducing them. Overall, it was a class event, and while I had never heard of Brave New Spirits before, I really enjoyed what we tasted and the playful approach the brand takes to generally affordable whisky.
Whisky Details: Royal Cabinet 20 Year (2003) Blended Malt, 44.9%
Nose: Mild and mellow, orchard fruits arrived with red apples and pears; old papers and glossy magazines led toward wood, dried citrus rind, pepper, and a touch of buttery shellfish.
Palate: Medium to light-bodied, mellow and mild, apples and pears pushed orchard fruits to the fore of wood and dried grass; wood and tea tannins carried toward a hint of orange and floral musk; vanilla, pepper, and hints of leather at the end.
Finish: Medium-length with apples, glossy magazines, and antique wooden furniture.
Score: 6 (77)
Mental Image: Country Club Patio
Narrative & Notes: Mellow and easy-drinking, the aroma offered up plenty of gentle orchard fruits with intriguingly woody and papery diversions. The palate was much the same, though, with more vanilla and citrusy depth. The whisky was generally well-balanced— it would not be wrong to call it smooth, as it was downright pillowy and feathery on the palate at times. On the downside, the whisky was occasionally a touch tannic with odd moments of peppery or bitterness, and the flavors were fairly shallow and limited. That is not always a bad thing— I imagine this would be perfect for just kicking back and sitting with on the porch.
The Royal Cabinet blended malt was described as a teaspooned Macallan— a description given by the tasting organizer rather than the Brave New Spirits representative, though I heard no denials. Despite a few issues, the whisky had an element of class about it, and I kept picturing people sitting on a porch in upper-class tennis garb enjoying a dram between sets on a grass court.
Whisky Details: Light House Blended Scotch “Lightly Peated,” 40%
Nose: Maritime brine and burning green wood cleared the sinuses; mugwort, tea, and moss turned toward something green and vegetal as mellow medicinal herbs turned up; mentholated tobacco and molasses cakes in the background.
Palate: Light-bodied, coastal brine and orange cakes, wispy smoke and charred wood, citrusy and occasionally a touch creamy like a lemon chiffon cake, tobacco and wood lingered in the background, coming on stronger toward the end.
Finish: Medium-length with wispy smoke and soft coastal vibes.
Score: 5-6 (78)
Mental Image: Hiking at Low Tide
Narrative & Notes: The nose presented some big peaty and coastal notes with enough medicinal herbs to clear the sinuses. There were hints of fruit around the edges of more vegetal and mossy elements. The palate shifted directions— coastal still with some mentholated tobacco coming out more at the end; there were a great deal more fruits and even a touch of cream. It had a well-balanced sweetness; I kept expecting it to turn toward more saltwater taffy, but it never did. The finish was pleasant, and I found the overall experience to be really good. This was not the sort of blend I would rush out to buy, but a great option if I wanted a solid daily sipper more on the peated side— something a touch better than Compass Box’s Glasgow Blend, which I also enjoy.
Our Brave New Spirits guide for the evening said this retails for about $30; great value at that price. She mentioned that the peatier elements of the blend come primarily from Ardbeg— an interesting nugget of information and one that makes sense with the general flavor profile. Her recommendation was to enjoy the whisky in a Highball or use it to elevate a cocktail.
Whisky Details: Old Smitty’s Single Malt, 40%
Nose: Big candied apples and stone fruits, caramel, malty apple streusel, brown sugar.
Palate: Light-bodied, apples and stone fruits, fresh crushed cider, malty, brown sugar, apple streusel, a touch of wood and green apple hard candies.
Finish: Medium-length with orchard fruits and a hint of pastries.
Score: 4-5 (74)
Mental Image: Apple Cider Prototyping
Narrative & Notes: As gentle and mild as one would expect, I was impressed with how much the orchard fruits and stone fruits popped on the nose and palate. The whisky was relatively one-dimensional, but it made the most of what it had. Our friendly Brave New Spirits guide for the evening said the bottle also retails for about $30, and at that price, I thought this was pretty good after all; there are a lot of rather unpleasant whiskies at that market point, and this was enjoyable. She also recommended this as another cocktail bottle, especially a refreshing highball, though it was passable straight up.
Overall, not the sort of bottle you would drop into a tasting lineup, but one you might have on hand for a nightcap or cocktail.
