Glenglassaugh 9 Year Old 2009 Distillery Exclusive

A hand-filled bottle that you can only get at the distillery? That’s a lovely souvenir to take away from a distillery visit. That’s what my buddy Anthony thought when he went to Glenglassaugh last year. A bourbon cask was filled with spirit in 2009, then re-casked to an oloroso sherry cask in 2014. Unique: the ABV noted on the label has two digit after the decimal. Never seen that before.

Oi! This is a very pleasant nose indeed. Sweet on dark chocolat, cocoa butter, hazelnut paste, blackberries and marzipan, burnt caramel and Haribo bears on the one hand, but some nice green notes like thyme, basil, parsley and sun dried tomatoes in oil on the other. Yes, this is very good!

It is honeysweet on the palate as well, but at the same time quite piquant. I am not so much reminded of fruit now, but more of hazelnut waffles (Hanuta from Ferrero Rocher, anyone?) and nougat, caramel and oak, roasted chestnut and coffee beans. Midpalate a grape pith bitterness emerges. Special, but quite good.

The finish is fairly long and mildly drying, but then a sudden fresh leaf of mint kicks in, only to die on Italian espresso.

What a ride! This is one schizophrenic Glenglassaugh. Thanks, Anthony!

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