Highlands Region – 46%ABV – US price forthcoming but you can pre-order it at Singlemaltsdirect.com for just shy of £36
“Revival” is fitting name for Glenglassaugh’s initial offering of whisky from the newly re-opened distillery. Many of the details of the make up of this whisky could not be shared. I do know, however, that there is a mixture of 1st and 2nd fill casks that were then married up in 1st fill sherry butts for 6 months (which adds to the beautiful color that you see to the right and to the flavor of course). Bottled at 46% ABV, this is a non-chill filtered whisky with zero caramel coloring added.
After many different spirit offerings from Glenglassaugh (on top of Glenglassaugh’s older whisky offerings), Glenglassaugh – under it’s new management – has finally released a 3yo whisky.
Congrats to Stuart, Ronnie and the rest of the team at GlenG!!
Thanks, too, to Ronnie R for both the preview and official samples!!
I’m not sure why but when I hear about a distillery re-opening I imagine those reopening to talk much like this (I know if I were them, I would!):
Glenglassaugh Revival Preview Sample:
On the nose – Fruity pear jam spread over well buttered crumpets.
Salty brine-like quality.
Baked pears. The youth of this almost-whisky is apparent but so is the cask influence.
There’s a Rose-ness to this – a semi-dry Rose on a summer day.
There’s a vanilla/creme brulle essence that most certainly came from some bourbon barrels.
On the mouth – Like fresh pear flesh however, this is quite peppery as well.
Warmed butter and unripened stone fruits.
A touch drying along the sides of the tongue.
Finish – Peppery and a bit winey (again, that Rose-like flavor).
Much longer than you’d think given its age.
Glenglassaugh Revival Retail Sample:
On the nose – Very similar to the pre-release but with less of a salty element to it and more of a fruit element.
More of the Rose-ness here. However, something I didn’t get on the pre-release are notes of cracked black pepper and some stone fruits like apricot and white flesh peach.
On the mouth – More “present” than the pre-release. Full of pears and dried apricot.
Peppery and effervescent but also, and this can not be overlooked, VERY sweet with an underlying salty quality and a touch of brown spices that offer up what I find to be a very balanced little dram!
The beauty of the Glenglassaugh spirit and choice of casks really seem to compliment each other.
Finish – Drying and full of dried fruits and fresh, unripened ones. A lasting peppery finish.
In sum – I’m am very impressed with both of the preview spirit sample and the full-fledged WHISKY sample. I plan on keeping a bottle of this on the shelf. It’s a no-brainer whisky that is both challenging (there is a lot to tease out of here) but also, just a nice-nice summer dram. Kudos to Mr. Stuart Nickerson. Well done, good sir!
In case you’ve not seen it, I had the good opportunity to interview Stuart Nickerson of Glenglassaugh a while back. Here’s part one, here’s part two – I greatly enjoyed this interview and I hope you do, too!
