Highland region – 49.2%ABV – Best of luck finding a bottle.  And if you do, expect to pay about $2000/bottle.

With release after release of old Glenglassaugh, there would seem to be no shortage of the stuff.

The previous sentence could not be further from the truth.

What makes a whisky such as this so very precious is that it’s from Glenglassaugh’s stocks of 400 (more or less) older casks.

True rarity – hence the hefty price tag.

People go nuts over older whiskies – the older the better right?  Not true, good people.  Sometimes a whisky an hit its prime at the young age of 3, 4 or 5 years old.  Or, if not at its prime, still damn tasty, complex and balanced.  However as whiskies get older they run the chance of getting over oaked, too drying and just… blech.

I’ve yet to run into that problem with the older Glenglassaughs I’ve had so far (in fact, they’ve all been *quite* stellar – especially the first Chosen Few release).  Let’s see how this one held up to the test of time:

On the nose –  A wonderfully sweet nose, if not a touch hot, with other scents mixed in such as Connecticut shade tobacco leaves, sugar cane and near ripe white flesh peach.

Chocolate covered marzipan.

(Good) oak and spice, spice and (good) oak.

A slight wine-like note that was floating a top it all but now seems a bit more forward.

On the mouth – Oily texture yet drying fairly quickly.

Not hot like the nose initially suggested.  I love the strength of this whisky.

Oak and grape skins are evident but lying just beneath those flavors is a stone fruit compote.

Perhaps a touch of cola syrup and the slightest amount of fennel (slight).

Finish – Shiraz like spice – not sure why I keep getting these wine like notes in here but, I like it.

In sum – A bit drying but not overly so, especially for a 45 year old whisky.  Very enjoyable, warming and balanced quite well.  Something to enjoy with a good book.

Special thanks to RS for the sample!