Historic Distilleries: Glenglassaugh (pretty recently re-opened)

Glenglassaugh have actually been closed about half of its life-span even though being established as early as 1875. Last mothballing was back in 1986, before it was revived in 2008. I will try some of the new, though possibly a bit immature Glenglassaughs against some of the old ones from times gone by in this session. This whisky was always hard to get a hold of from IB's which often means there couldn't be much old stock left in the warehouses after the last mothballing. The distillery equipment left at Glenglassaugh was installed in the 1960's, and have only been used for 26 years at most, therefore one can easily see this whisky as a modern malt despite the age of the distillery. Let's try old vs very new Glenglassaugh in this session.



Glenglassaugh NAS 2009 50% OB The Spirit Drink That Dare Not Speak Its Name

Surely one of the longest titles for a whisky there ever was. I've not included this in the photo as it came from a sluggish sample bottle and was, well, the color of water, as you'd might expect, this being approximately about half a year old. The new-make from the recently re-opened Glenglassaugh Distillery. I must admit that apart from some Bladnoch and Bruichladdich I've tried little new-makes. It smells of fresh herbal notes, grassy, waxy, peat, glue, raw onions, kinda fresh but far from whisky. The taste is peppery, burnt, butter, grainy, oat meal, very light and easy. This sure is a fine new-make, like a high quality vodka, or thereabout, but it lacks any complexity.

Hard to give points here, really not my game, for a new-make it's quite nice, so: 5


Glenglassaugh 21yo 2009 46% OB

Kinda the counterpart to the new-make, I think releasing this alongside some new-make was a great way to showcase both what was and what are to become Glenglassaugh single malt. Time to try them side by side. The color on this one is golden brown. It smells of sweet vanilla, honey, butter, cinnamon, licorice, surely some sherried oak involved here, malt syrup, stearic, milk chocolate, leather. The taste is red wine vinegar, bittersweet, perfumy, starchy, onions, cherry tomatoes, dried paprika. More on dried fruits, rubber and starch after a while. This is just a bit hard to follow, but I believe it is made in the best interest. Perhaps they've saved some of the best older casks for later bottling.

This is pretty forgettable, MOTR whisky: 5


Glenglassaugh 23yo 1974-1997 43% Blackadder cask#9766

An older version bottled last millennium, there'll be a couple of those in this session, which is fun as it often helps shines light on any development on the spirit over time. The color is dark golden. It smells of mint leaves, mango chutney, oranges, caramel, pear, honey, peanut butter, cloves, really refreshing highland style. Reminds me a bit of some older Ben Nevis. The taste is light, rubbery, waxy, grassy, floral, peanut butter, pesto, nutty, peppery. Rather short and peppery finish. It's a most pleasant nose, the palate is a bit too light for me and the finish is just a slight echo of the palate.

Light whisky, one that needs both time and patience to be discovered: 5


Glenglassaugh NAS 46% OB Revival

I think this whisky is all 3yo, but could be there's some 4yo in it as well. At least, it's the first OB whisky expression distilled after the re-opening. The color is light hazel. It smells of hay, rubber, grassy, floral, perfumy. The taste is sweet, porridge, papery, vodka, dry, phenol, oaky, leather, gin. This sure seems a bit underdeveloped, or unfinished if you like. I do not believe whisky will be able to help such young a whisky which already have been diluted so I'll keep it neat. The finish is peppery, dry licorice, aniseed, honey liqueur, and possibly the best side of this whisky.

Potential here, but far from delivering a complete whisky experience yet: 3.5


Glenglassaugh 3yo 2009-2012 46% OB Ayinger Beer Cask Finish

I actually had a 20cl bottle of this, original, but I threw it away. Too bad, as it would've looked sharp in the photo. Instead I poured last 5cl on a Cadenhead's mini which did not make the photo due to its grim looks. Enough abou that. I have not tried much whisky from beer casks, last one I think was a blend from Grant's. The color is amber orange, really nice vibrant color. It smells of honey, oat meal, hops, a lot of hop flavor, an ex-IPA cask? Smells to me like some IPA beer. Quite simple. The taste is sweet, buttery, hoppy, drying, earl grey tea, latex, licorice, drying, dusty. This dry sensation seems to be quite dominating in both the Revival and this one. The finish is all on hops and phenols.

Seems that beer cask finishes really can work: 6


Glenglassaugh 12yo 1985-1997 43% James MacArthur's

I'm switching between older and very recent Glenglassaugh in this session, none bottled between '97 an '07. Time to try one distilled in the 85, one year before it was mothballed for its last time. There really haven't been many bottlings from Glenglassaugh when it was closed compared to such as Glen Keith and Rosebank. I must say these old versions seems more fruity and sweet than the recent versions. The color is golden. It smells of vanilla, perfumy, salty, licorice, plum spirit, ginger, vanilla, orange zest, nestles. This taste is very light, sweet, honey, malty, but most of all its a easily drinkable malty spirit. One could drink litres of this. But its far from an experience worth hunting down.

Light and easy whisky: 4


Glenglassaugh 28yo 1983-2011 49.8% OB The Master Distillers Selection

From a sherry cask, one of the casks that was left in the warehouses when new owners arrived. I hope there's more like this to come. The color is golden copper. It smells of honey, tea shop, dark grapes, dark berries, rhubarb, barbecue sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, red wine, tannins, sulphury. This is promising, great sherried style with heavy oloroso influence. The taste is sweet, honey, cinnamon, licorice, peppery, sweet chili, butter. The finish is drying and peppery, seems to me there's been some superior and some less good casks in this one.

Good sherried whisky with a drying finish: 6.5


Glenglassaugh 21yo 1986-2007 53.4% Dewar Rattray cask#162

Distilled in the last closing year at Glenglassaugh Distillery. From a sherry cask. The color is brown. It smells of cinnamon, bamboo, pine, cedar wood, honey, leather, cigar smoke, sulphur, ashes, paint. The taste is peppery, chili, cod liver, sulphury, latex, ashes, oaky. Very dry and sulphury indeed, lets add some water. Now it turns sweeter, spicy cinnamon, oaky, red paprika, bell peppers, honey, rosé wine, mint. The finish is long, sweet, bell peppers, earthy, banana leaves, tonic water, ginger, oaky. A classic sherry style.

Another example of a good sherried Glenglassaugh: 6.5


Glenglassaugh 25yo 1984-2009 54.7% Malts of Scotland cask#186

25 years and a sherry butt should make for a good combination. The color is dark brown. I'm suggesting an oloroso cask, but I could be wrong. It smells sweet, dark chocolate, honey, cinnamon, wax, heather, diary cream and pistachio paste. The taste is caramel, brown sugar, honey, chili paste, leather, cinnamon, ginger ale, starch, oloroso, zinfandel wine, butter. This is first class sherried whisky. Are there more casks like this still left in the warehouses at Glenglassaugh? I have to add water, but not much, its already very delicate. Now even more of the sherry comes forth, opens up on sweet dark berries, honey and cinnamon. What a whisky!

Excellent sherried one, an instant classic in my book: 9


Glenglassaugh 15yo 1977-1993 59% Cadenhead's

One of those high strength youngsters from Cadenhead's, god bless them. I've had the opportunity to try many young whiskies from whiskies that was closed even before my birth due to these old Cadenhead bottlings. And they very often give more of a representation of a distillery character than the 30-something year olds bottled nowadays. The color on this one is light golden. It smells of chalk dust, leather, oaky, drying, cumin, mustard. Old style whisky, one to savour when you got some time on your hands, this is quite closed, so to speak. The taste is custard, honey, oranges, herbal, leather, starch, dry licorice, marshmallows, aniseed, acrylic, stearic, nutty sweetness, shows Glenglassaugh can perform brilliantly even at this level. The finish is very long and peppery, tongue-numbing and absolutely the grand-finale this whisky deserves.

Another stupendous one, hopefully new Glenglassaugh can reach these standard: 9

Glenglassaugh, could this be from the 1930's?

The distillery entrance before re-opening, hopefully for the last time, in 2008.












Next tasting: Imperial Distillery