Glenglassaugh 1984 (Malts of Scotland)

This 25 years old Glenglassaugh 1984 is the most recent addition to the Malts of Scotland range.

Glenglassaugh 1984 (54,7%, Malts of Scotland 2009, cask #186, 213 btl.)

Nose: a few musty / meaty notes at first. I’m not a big fan of that, but with some time, a bit of hand warmth and a drop of water, it’s much better. Much more oak now (wood as well as varnish). Chocolate and red berries. Nice tobacco and old balsamic vinegar / sweet & sour combination. Hints of tandoori even. With water, an awesome nuttiness appears.

Mouth: mostly raspberries that shine through. Raisins and dried plums as well. Big oak again, a bit of spicy toffee and chocolate. Faint whiffs of roasted coffee beans.

Finish: quite long, sherry with cloves and a touch of pepper.

The heavy sherry on this Glenglassaugh 1984 needs some tweaking to get it right. Different flavours come out when you gradually add water. Take your time to discover it. Around € 120.

Score: 85/100

ps/ I was able to taste some of the forthcoming releases by Malts of Scotland (Aberlour 1990, Glen Spey 1977…) and they are remarkable! Something to look forward to.