Six months after Glenglassaugh unveiled its new core range, its new-found status and sense of place on the whisky stage has been assured
Glenglassaugh Distillery has come a long way since its doors were closed in 1986. Then, anyone who knew the distillery’s output would have been drinking whiskies like The Famous Grouse or Cutty Sark, which both had contributions of whisky from the Highland producer. It was a workhorse and it sat forlorn for close to 20 years before it reopened in 2008 and eventually was sold to its current owners Brown Forman in 2016.
Bought by Brown Forman as one of a trio of headline acts in the BenRiach Distillery Company’s stable, its siblings include BenRiach itself and the global whisky leader that is Glendronach. Each of these distilleries and their brands are overseen by master blender Rachel Barrie and her deft touch has guided each of them towards a confident new future.
Glenglassaugh’s new core range probably represents the most dynamic return of the three, having lain quiet for so long, but the whisky is now of an age and maturation that it can stand alone on the global stage.
Glenglassaugh is situated on the edge of Speyside but remains a Highland player, with a new determination and personality engineered into a distillery that began life in 1875.
This series depends heavily on cask combinations that create rich and flavour-packed whiskies. Ex-bourbon and sherry underpin them all but then each bottle is distinguished by adding either red wine, manzanilla or port maturation.
Glenglassaugh 12
This rich and elegant release is the flagship bottle in the range. Matured for 12 years in bourbon, sherry and red wine, it’s bottled at 45%.
Of the three bottles, it is undoubtedly the most fruit forward with apricot, fig, cherry and rich red berries highlighted among the official tasting notes.
There’s lots of cream, vanilla and nuts packed into this release that, being the only age statement in the collection, is set to represent the distillery flavour profile.
Glenglassaugh Sandend
Sandend has the highest ABV in the core range at 50.5%. Another single malt, this time it is matured in bourbon, sherry and manzanilla casks.
Manzanilla is a fortified wine that comes from the Cadiz region of Spain. It’s a pale and dry wine that carries salty or meaty notes that sit extremely well with Glenglassaugh’s layers of buttery vanilla and tropical fruit flavours.
Glenglassaugh Portroy
The Portsoy bottle comes with the darkest colour – a deep amber that comes from its port maturation.
It also carries a distinct peat profile that marries really well with the deep dark fruit layers of the port. The official notes prime you for salt and brine, peat and soya but layer lots of chocolate, mango and other tropical fruit into this 49.1% single malt.
The name Portsoy comes from the village next to which the distillery is situated so it’s no surprise that the most distinctive and coastal flavours are attributed to this release.
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