Brora H2H
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 Brora 30 year OB along side Clynelish 12 year 56.9% Edward & Edward White label bottled 1973.

I have been meaning to do this for some time unfortunately I had no 2007 30 year. All 5 Brora OB in Glencairns the Clynelish in a Tulip.
The Clynelish is here because for me its  Brora, distilled in the Brora Stills about 1960 and I will put the tasting notes for this in the Brora section, also for some reason never bothered doing a tasting note for the 2003 before.

Nose
05 – 1st  similar to Clynelish
73 -  2nd Clynelish –
04 – 3rd
06 – 4th
02 – 5th
03 -  6th

First nosing
02 better than 03, 04 more powerful and peaty, 05 similar to 04 but less peat and more elegant, -06 similar to 05, clynelish 73 more waxy and fruity.

2nd nosing
04, 05, 06 very similar now, 
02 & 03 similar, less expressive more fruity than peaty, clynelish more fruity

Palate
02 – creamy & peaty
03 – Fruity & peaty
04 -  Very sweet, beautifully balanced and the peat is there
05 – weaker compared to the 04 at first but this one is very subtle more creamy but less expressive on the palate than the 04.
06 – Siimilar to the 05 but peat is louder in this one
Clynelish, waxy, peaty & fruity

04, - 1st
05, - 2nd
06, -3rd
02 -  4th
03 – 5th          

The clynelish I could not decide but probably in the middle of these 5 on rating but the profile is obviously different.

There really is not much to chose from all are great but palate wise the 2004 30 year Brora is the best because until then I would have said the 2005 was my favourite 30 year Brora OB but that why they need comparing together.

Superb! Maybe just not as amazing as the 2004 with its perfect sharpness and the delicate 2003, kind of a vatting of both, really excellent

Ralfy review 711: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUH-liW0L3s (92/100). First pour to celebrate 100 thousand subscribers.

Ralfy review 729: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uxp7qFX__Q (94/100). Revisited review: 3 different time samples comparison.

Out of a H2H tonight this was the result. 

Longrow 1974 56% bottled 1987 Samaroli   

Glen Garioch 1971 Full proof 59.6% Samaroli    

Ledaig 1973 14 year 56.3% Sestante Castle Label   

Brora 4th Annual Release 1975 30 year 56.3% OB   

Lagavulin 1976 37 year 51% OB   

Port Ellen 10th Annual Release 1978 31 year 54.6% OB   

Laphroaig 1967 27 year cask 2957 50.1% Signatory dumpy   

Caol Ila 15 year Manager`s Dram sherry 63% OB   

Ardbeg 1976 25 year cask 2390 LMDW 53.1% OB  

My view of this right now is that 94-95 points is about right, this one is more or less equal to the 2005 3rd release, both are excellent and have a great depth of profile.

Nose: This Brora first reeks of butyric acid to me. Perhaps mine was stored incorrectly or there was a cheeky pajarete cask in this batting?

Either way once you get past the baby sick the typical Brora farmyard notes are here. Sweaty horse in a hay barn and wet dogs with muddy paws trending dirt into the house After that, the Clynelish citrus. Bitter orange peel, freshly zested and squeezed over your cocktail. The peat on this puppy takes front and centre. Its raw, earthy, coal-like and muscular. It never lets you forget that its the boss here.

Palate: Huge entry. Powerful peat. Its hot at first and needs some getting used to, to taste the complexities. As always I taste a little without, then with water. Lots of herbs, cooking spices, mint & ginger. Orange reappears, its still bitter but very pleasurable and it sits long in the finish with the farmyard peat notes. 

Overall this is a 'sweaty' Brora. While some regard this as their favorite, for me the RMC bottlings retain more balance. This is however a very fun and unforgettable Brora.