The second of Gordon & MacPhail’s 125th Anniversary whiskies is a single cask of Glenury Royal 1984, laid down in a first-fill sherry butt on Thursday 7 June.
As you know, Glenury was founded in 1825 by Captain James Barclay and the suffix ‘Royal’ was added due to the owner’s friendship with King William IV. Glenury Royal became a victim of the downturn in the whisky industry and ceased production in 1985 – it is now rarely seen as a single malt. Each of these anniversary bottlings are from the last remaining casks G&M owns from these distilleries.
Glenury Royal 1984 (49,1%, Gordon & MacPhail ‘125th Anniversary’ 2020, first-fill sherry butt #2335, 397 btl.)
Nose: almost as if you’re nosing an actual sherry wine, or rather a Sercial Madeira. Dried fruits with beautiful rancio notes. Full of walnuts, brown sugar mixed with butter, cocoa and wood polish. Chestnuts and tobacco.There’s a plummy acidity in the background, as well as some blackberries. Also dusty notes, cinnamon powder, leather and chocolate.
Mouth: more sourness now, Madeira-style indeed. Burnt sugar with lots of sour cherries, tobacco leaves and orange peel. Cloves, thyme, aniseed and other herbal notes give it a sense of vermouth. Walnuts. Liquorice and a hint of under brewed coffee. Less refined than the nose.
Finish: long, minty, with the same herbal sourness, precious woods and liquorice.
This Glenury shows an old-school, madeirised profile with some pleasantly unconventional touches. I actually like the herbal sourness, it makes it quite unique. A great addition to the Anniversary collection – arriving in shops as we speak.