Glenglassaugh releases first bottlings

The Glenglassaugh distillery, which reopened in 2008 after laying dormant for 28 years, has released its first batch of single cask bottlings since changing hands last year.

Glenglassaugh 1968

The Glenglassaugh Distillery, located in Speyside, was first established in 1875 by local entrepreneur James Moir and his two nephews, Alexander and William Morrison.

Following the death of both James Moir and William Morrison, Alexander Morrison was forced to sell the distillery and in 1892 the company was sold to Highland Distillers.

The distillery was upgraded in 1960 but ceased production in 1986 and remained empty until 2008 when it was bought by the Scaent Group, only to change hands again in March of 2013 into the ownership of The Benriach Distillery Company.

Its first bottlings, hand-selected by managing director and master distiller Billy Walker, feature eight single malts aged from 45 to 28 years.

The range is described as “crisp, fresh, sweet Highland malts that hit the palate with the power of complex fruit bombs – from apples, bananas, pineapples, grapefruit, prunes and plums to lime, cantaloupe melon and caramelised orange.”

The oldest, at 45-years-old, was distilled in May 1968 with a 44.3% abv, while the youngest in the batch is a 28-year-old distilled in February 1986 with a 43.7% abv.

Alistair Walker, sales director for the distillery, said: “We took over Glenglassaugh last year and were thrilled to discover a treasure trove of old and rare spirits slumbering in the warehouses.

“Revived from the dark, selected by Billy Walker for their excellence and personality and bottled last month, this is an extraordinary collection of rare casks which will be warmly welcomed by connoisseurs worldwide. Taken together, they are stunning examples of Glenglassaugh at its finest.”

• 1968 cask # 1601 / 45 years old / Finished in the finest Sherry Hogshead / 44.3% vol – £1,299.99
• 1972 cask # 2114 / 41 years old / Matured in the finest Sherry Butt / 50.6% vol – £644.99
• 1973 cask # 6801 / 40 years old / Finished in the finest Manzanilla Sherry Puncheon / 52.1% vol – £584.99
• 1975 cask # 7301 / 38 years old / Finished in the finest Oloroso Sherry Hogshead / 40.7% vol – £479.99
• 1975 cask # 7801 / 38 years old / Finished in the finest Moscatel Hogshead / 42.4% vol – £479.99
• 1978 cask # 1803 / 35 years old / Finished in the finest Sherry Hogshead / 41.6% vol – £394.99
• 1978 cask # 1810 / 35 years old / Finished in the finest Port Hogshead / 42.9% vol – £394.99
• 1986 cask # 2101 / 28 years old / Finished in the finest Hogshead / 43.7% vol – £179.99

All eight malts are presented in a golden presentation box.