Brave New Spirits Cask Masters Inchmurrin 11yo cask 76/2014 & Brave New Spirits Cask Masters Dailuaine 13yo cask 300700/2012

Brave New Spirits Cask Masters Inchmurrin 11yo cask 76/2014

Region: Highlands

ABV: 48.5%

Price: £60.95

Distilled in 2014 at Loch Lomond and bottled by Brave New Spirits for the Cask Masters Golden Proof series. This single cask first fill bourbon barrel was matured for 11 years and released in October 2025. Outturn 248 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens with a mixture of sweetened lemon juice, runny honey, buttercream frosting, fresh red apple slices and some pear skin too. Lots of upfront cask influence here, but in a rich, vanilla and cream-like fashion, no bitter oak in sight. Going back, we're finding a little fresh cut grass, peach syrup and a handful of wine gum sweets too. The alcohol is in relatively good balance, although we'd have guessed it was slightly higher than 48.5%.. somewhere around 52% if we were trying this blind.

Palate

The palate opens with lemon shortcake, desiccated coconut, lime leaf, candied ginger and green apple skins. There's also something a bit funky in the background, it reminds us of a cheap Sauternes wine, a little mouldy apricot perhaps. Like the nose, the alcohol gives a bigger punch than expected, mostly in an initial hit of ginger and a trail of black pepper on the finish. The mouthfeel is good, syrup-like, and the finish has a medium length to it, although is a bit drier with some lingering oak bitterness. 

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose seems to gain some of the bitterness from the palate, and it's a bit disappointing - more dry oak, grapefruit peel and sandpaper. It seems to be devoid of any sweetness now, but there's still some apple and lime in the background. We'd avoid water on the nose - it removes a lot of what we loved about it before.

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate hasn't changed too much, there's a little more upfront honey flavours, mixed with toffee apples, lime zest and some charred oak in the background. It's still quite dry, and not overly balanced for us.

Conclusion

The nose on this is lovely, lots of good quality bourbon cask influence mixed with the fruity and slightly grassy Inchmurrin spirit, but the palate lets it down for us - it feels overly warm and bitter. Saying that, there's still some good flavour to be found here, and it's in no way a bad dram. 

Score: 6.5/10

Value

Given the price we’d have liked to have seen this bottled at cask strength.

Brave New Spirits Cask Masters Dailuaine 13yo

Region: Speyside

ABV: 51.8%

Price: £59.99

Distilled on 10 April 2012 and fully matured in a first fill bourbon hogshead, this was bottled on 16 May 2025 at 13 years of age. The outturn was 255 bottles.

Nose

The nose opens with soft peach flesh, green grapes, fresh linen, honeydew melon and white flowers. Very floral, more so than we expected. We're also finding fresh pressed apple juice, rosewater and a hint of vanilla essence in the background. It's like walking into a florist. The alcohol is well integrated, sitting nicely in the background but not making itself too apparent. Going back, we're getting some tangerine starting to appear. 

Palate

The palate mirrors the nose in a lot of ways, those floral notes come through in an interesting way, it's sort of like chewing on perfume, it doesn't sound too pleasant but it does work. We're also getting candied lime, grape must, orange pith and a warm mulled-like spice in the background that lasts into the decent length finish. There's more warm alcohol here, but it's not off putting, it seems to work quite well with the other flavours. As time and air get to the dram, we're starting to get more of a butterscotch and vanilla cream profile coming out, subduing some of the florality.

Nose (with water)

The reduced nose brings more cask and citrus aromas forward, and less of the floral notes from before. lemon posset, fresh orange peels, apple compote, and whipped vanilla cream are all appearing, but there are still a few fresh linen and white flower aromas in the background. Personally we prefer the nose with a drop of water. 

Palate (with water)

The reduced palate is more cask forward like the reduced nose, caramels, vanillas, and a little Caramac chocolate. It's richer, fuller and more of a classical bourbon-Speysider. Again, like the reduced nose, we prefer the reduced palate with a drop of water. 

Conclusion

One of the most floral whiskies we've tried in a while, a bouquet of aromas and flavours taking us to a well stocked florist. The palate was more challenging than the nose, but as it opened up, it started to balance out nicely. An interesting, solid whisky. 

Score: 7/10

Value

Good whisky at a competitive price.

• 10 - Perfection. One in a million
• 9 - Outstanding. Exceptional whisky.
• 8 - Great. Would seek this out.
• 7 - Good. Quality whisky.
• 6 - Above average. Happy to have a dram.
• 5 - Average. Drinkable whisky.
• 4 - Below average. Passable.
• 3 - Flawed. Noticeable negatives.
• 2 - Defective. Significant faults.
• 1 - Offensive. Pour it out.

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