WhiskyNotes » Glenglassaugh

Glenglassaugh 1967 (SV cask #2893)

Ruben — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 06:30:09 +0000

This Glenglassaugh was distilled on the 5th of June 1967 and bottled on the same day in 1998. It was bottled by Signatory Vintage in the Silent Stills series. These bottles were nicely packaged with part of the barrel wood inside the box, as well as a miniature sampler.

As far as I know, there have been 5 batches of Silent Stills (1997 – 2001) and one batch for the USA. It’s a wonderful overview of distilleries that are sadly gone and the whole range is highly collectable. Note that Glenglassaugh was silent since 1986 but it has been revived in 2008.

This is another dram that I brought home from the great Lindores festival in Oostende. I had to fill samples because I had a cold and couldn’t taste anything at that moment.

Glenglassaugh 31 yo 1967 (55,8%, Signatory Silent Stills 1998, cask #2893, 217 btl.)

Nose: an old, subtle nose. It balances between delicate fruity notes (citrus, gooseberries, tangerine), some hay and a faint minty / medicinal side. Some lemon balm. The fruitiness gets bigger with some hand warmth and mixes with a lovely dustiness – nice! Mouth: drier than expected, very much on grains and wood now, without many additional flavours that stand out. A bit of citrus zest. Faint vanilla. Getting grassier and slightly bitter / herbal over time. A tad waxy as well. Finish: citrus, grassy notes and a salty / coastal edge.

A delicate old Glenglassaugh. It owes the high score mostly to the wonderful nose.

Score: 90/100

Glenglassaugh 1978 (TWE 10th Anniversary)

Ruben — Mon, 17 May 2010 08:24:33 +0000

Another special edition bottled for the 10th Anniversary of The Whisky Exchange. It should be from a refill sherry hogshead.

In 2008, TWE bottled another 1978 Glenglassaugh under the Single Malts of Scotland label.

Glenglassaugh 31 yo 1978 (44,6%, The Whisky Exchange 10th Anniversary 2009)

Nose: dry sherry and dark rum notes mixed with a delicate fruity side (blood orange, some very ripe mango, whiffs of raspberry and banana). Rather big hints of shoe polish and menthol / eucalyptus. Orangettes (chocolates with a sugared orange filling). Showing savoury, meaty notes and dried fruits (dates, prunes) if you add some water (although it’s perfectly drinkable straight). Leather. Elegant. Mouth: heavy oak and heavy sherry with hints of dark tea and bitter oranges. Some toasted bread and cinnamon. Raisins dipped in dark chocolate. Lovely coffee in the aftertaste. Long finish on liquorice, cocoa and oranges. A bit dry.

A lovely start with a polished dry sherry influence. On the palate the oak begins to show its age. Classic Speyside sherry though. Available from TWE.
Around € 145.

Score: 89/100

Glenglassaugh 1984 (Malts of Scotland)

Ruben — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:00:27 +0000

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.