Ok hands up all those who don’t know too much about this Distillery ?? Yes me too, but that’s about to change for me at least. I recently had the immense pleasure of sampling a 40 yo Glenglassaugh from 1975 and boy did that blow me away.

I recently received a little package and upon opening it I found 4 wee sample bottles containing the most recent release which is 4 wood finished expressions, firstly this PX finish plus 2 port wood finishes ( 1 x peated and 1x unpeated ) and finally a peated Virgin oak expression..

All 4 are bottled at 46% abv and are natural colour with NCF..

Glenglassaugh distillery was established in 1875 by Col James Moir who with his two nephews ran the Distillery until 1892 when the Distillery was sold to Highland Distillers..

The distillery was mothballed in 1986 and re opened in 2008 after a group of investors bought the distillery and ran it until 2013 when The BenRiach Distillery Company bought it. The Distillery is now under the wings of Brown -Forman and Master Blender /whisky Maker Rachel Barrie..

This first review will concentrate on the PX finished whisky which is un-peated and was initially matured in bourbon casks before having a “ finishing “ period in Pedro Ximenez sherry butts for up to 2 years..

Nose.. First impression is more sweetness than sherry with caramel, honey and toffee all showing before those dried fruits start to become evident. Eventually dates, raisins and some apricot and plum notes arrive with candied orange and a little dark chocolate coming  through..

Palate.. More fruity with an explosion of oak and spice.. Those dried fruits come first with a mixture of plum, apricots and poached pear drenched in honey and toffee sauce. The oak is certainly evident with natural tannings and hints of cinnamon and ginger, a subtle aniseed  note mingles with espresso coffee and vanilla.

Finish.. A lingering sweetness with a spicy twist.

Thoughts.. Although this has a youthful feel it is vibrant and full of flavour,  the added abv really helps boost the profile and enhances those wonderful aromas that the nose offers up.  This is aromatic and rich in flavour but subtle at the same time,  the palate shows some real depth and invites you to taste more.

This is a perfect example of a whisky coming from a Distillery that is so underrated and deserves a little more attention..  I know my eyes have been opened a little wider when trying these last two expressions and only makes me want to try more and more..

Pour a dram of this, then sit back, relax and let the aches and pains from the day just drift away while you slip into that  world where nothing else matters.

Glenglassaugh Px Wood Finish..

With thanks to Glenglassaugh for these official samples..