Glasgow 1770 7yo Port Cask Finish
Official Batch No.2 Release | 54% ABV
Score: 7/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
A red fruit compote and pastry-dessert heaven
Official Independents.
In something of a follow-up to Earie’s review of the Glasgow 1770 6-year-old ex-Sherry cask expression last week, I’d like to focus on the role of the distillery as its own independent bottler – because frankly, few do it better than Glasgow Distillery.
Having been an independent bottler, and having worked in that sector for over two decades, I have often wondered how I would have tackled the issue of independents bottling my whisky should I have owned my own distillery (something I did consider once, but was several zeros short in my funding capabilities…).
The question is: if you own a brand, do you really want indies bottling your whisky and using your brand? A decade ago, the answer was a resounding ‘no’ – very few distilleries were openly selling their whisky to IBs, and even fewer had any acceptance of the part that IBs played within the industry.
In fact, owners of new distilleries such as Kilchoman, Arran, Glengyle and others actively worked to keep indies from sourcing any casks of their distillate.
In answering the above question, my personal bias is hard to ignore. I love the indie bottling sector of this industry. It is unique, and long may it continue. There is a much greater trend now for distilleries to join forces with IBs for approved or sanctioned bottlings of their distillate, and I believe this allows greater exposure without friction between firms.
But not all partner with IBs, and I don’t judge either way harshly. The truth is, most distilleries, especially those built in the last twenty-five years, have become their own independent bottlers - releasing a plethora of small batch or single cask releases from a myriad of different cask types or barley (and grain) varieties. This, and I think I speak for all of us, is to be applauded.
Gone are the days, in my opinion, that a distillery would be known for a single age or a certain style. So much so that it can become irritating when a distillery believes their offerings should be, for instance, ex-Sherry cask maturation only, etc. (no names mentioned, but you know who they are).
Whisky consumers are constantly looking for the new and different, and certain distilleries lend themselves to cask experimentation. Glasgow’s staff are becoming a dab hand at this, and their portfolio never has me seeking out IB expressions (there are a few available) to fill gaps.
This goes hand-in-hand with the fact that the team are one of the most approachable and learned staff in the industry, and that they also are so open - indeed actively seek out constructive advice and ideas from their growing and loyal fanbase.
Add to this that their releases are never wallet-busters, and always pack a punch, and it is hard not to have a shelf in the house dedicated to their whisky – well, that and their tall bottles don’t fit with the other bottles…
Review
Glasgow Ruby Port Cask Finish, 7yo, unpeated double distilled single malt, matured in first fill ex-Bourbon barrels and finished in Ruby Port hogsheads, Batch No.2, 54% ABV
£59 and still some availability
Score: 7/10
Very Good Indeed.
TL;DR
A red fruit compote and pastry-dessert heaven
Nose
Rich. This is Elon Musk ‘rich’. Buckets of ripe red berries: red currants, strawberries and raspberries. Marzipan sits behind all of the fruitiness, and I cannot help but think of the German festive cake stollen, and the English tart from Bakewell.
There is a grape mustiness and glacé cherries. Danish pastries. Dried or candied fruits. I’m also getting those milk bottle sweets that I think are unique to Britain – I say unique because I was once in a sweet shop in Sweden that had so many different kinds that there is a good chance they had them too.
I’m also getting a rich savoury note – a ‘jus’, almost gravy-like, that contains a rich herbiness and oak notes. I apologise for the overuse of ‘rich’ here, but it is rolling in wealth.
Palate
On the first sip, those fruit flavours pour through, as you would expect from the Port cask. At 54%, the spirit hits the palate with an oomph, and you are in no doubt that no additional alcohol would have been necessary. Just a few drops of water and the palate changes markedly – now all of those additional notes found on the nose return. Again, I am reminded of festive cakes, candied fruits, marzipan and so on.
The Dregs
This cask has been picked when ripe. For just the briefest of milliseconds my palate became concerned that it was too gone, but like an apparition at dusk, the sensation evaporated and I was left in the fruity-rich and festive glow of what this whisky offers.
This release will be nirvana for so many drinkers, but I believe you need to like your whisky to follow the flavours I’ve outlined. Some, I realise, don’t like ex-Port cask finishes – although I suspect this is often to do with the sharpness they can present. My recommendation: add just a few drops of water and let the good times roll. This is an autumnal, wintery dram and therefore a perfectly-timed release.
For those that love the red fruitiness that ex-Port casks can give whisky, this will be so far up their street that the house on the end will have a room with their name on it. For me, when I’m in the mood of experiencing a liquid Bakewell tart, then I’m reaching straight for this bottle.
Think of it as a perfectly-picked official independent.
Score: 7/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. FF
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