Brora, a rare dram from a long closed distillery, is one of history’s happy accidents. The old, mothballed Clynelish – renamed Brora to avoid confusion with the newly rebuilt distillery – was brought back into service in 1969 making heavily peated whisky to bolster blends like Johnny Walker. Only after it was again closed in 1983, and this time for ever, did it become apparent that the smoky malt it had made was something special.

Indeed, it must have been a fierce dram when drunk young, for at thirty years old it still has a lick of fire about it. The smoke has become delicate and lacy, speaking of ancient fire blackened timbers rather than a bright bonfire.

The slightly sour cereal note you might find in a youthful malt has here mellowed to a rounded buttery texture, and, best of all, age has imbued it with that rare floral scent of lilies or perhaps iris which is so prized by aficionados. The long aftertaste fades gently like the tide going out over the broad beaches of its birthplace, leaving a memory of the sea and a wisp of velvety smoke.

A truly fine whisky, extremely limited, and therefore, sadly, expensive, at about £280 / 70cl, from the distillery itself or specialist retailers such as Royal Mile Whiskies.