It is World Whiskey Day and I wanted to celebrate it in a great way. Our corn-spirit-loving readers are probably familiar with the domestic brands owned by Brown-Forman. Some of the most recognizable being Jack Daniel’s, Old Forester, and Woodford Reserve. However, as of 8 years ago they also added some of the top Scotch/Single Malt distilleries in the world to their portfolio: Glendronach, Benriach, and Glenglassaugh. This month I had the chance to try a few of their latest offerings and ask their brand ambassador, Rory Glasgow, a few questions.
Samples I was able to taste included the standard Glendronach 12 year, Glenglassaugh’s new Sandend, and this year’s Benriach Malting Season (3rd edition).
A Chat with Rory
Rory, of the three expressions we’re tasting this time, which is your favorite and why?
An impossible choice! It really depends on a variety of factors; mood, seasons, pairing it to what I’m doing in that particular moment as well, and what ever-changing facet of Single Malt I happen to be interested in. For the sake of picking one, I will choose Malting Season from the Benriach Distillery.
Something that has always fascinated me on Single Malt is the production process, particularly the malting process. An age-old tradition that has moved with the times, expanded, and become commercialized and is now done by third party companies. Back in the day it would have been done onsite, at the distillery, on their malting floors. There only exists a small handful of distilleries that continue this very traditional process doing it by hand. Benriach is one of those distilleries. We have our floor maltings in operation for only a short 3-4 weeks of the year. This rare and small quantity of floor-malted barley is run through the production process and distilled. It is then matured for between eight to 10 years (depending on the batch) and bottled. So what you are tasting is a product that focuses on floor-malted barley. Something that is often overlooked, and sometimes even frowned upon if discovered, when sampling whisky is the grain note. We often see this as being hot, spicy, boozy, and harsh, and certainly it can be in some expressions we find! And so, much effort is often taken to mask this with aging, subsequently masking these flavors. But Benriach Malting Season really challenges that, and invites us back to the beginning, the very start of the production process. Spend some time with the barley note and appreciate the wonderful flavors of arguably one of the most important building blocks that comprises Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
A quick follow up to that one if you don’t mind… What’s your favorite flavor note or just general thing about each of the expressions?
Malting Season: I have recently been equating my love for Malting Season on my travels with how one might take a journey through beer. When you start, like so often folks do, it’s typically with a light, easy breezy lager/pilsner. For better or for worse, it’s an uncomplicated drink that won’t offend. Then you might progress into the realm of stouts, barrel-aged ales, sours, or IPAs. Often we find ourselves climbing the ladder looking for the hoppiest, the haziest, the darkest, or whatever flavor profile you enjoy, cranking the volume ever so louder. And we forget to appreciate the building block of that beer.
Like with whisky, we can often do the same. “What is the most peated,” “the biggest sherry bomb,” “the highest ABV?” and so on. My whisky and beer journey has been very much about dialing it back to the roots. What is that perfect pilsner, or the most refreshing Kölsch? Arguably one of the most challenging beers to perfect, as there is simply no hiding your imperfections. What does a whisky look like when it’s stripped back and you aim for the distillery’s profile? There is no hiding in these whiskies. No room for error.
If your spirit is inferior in any way, it will be on full display. You cannot simply hide amongst the peat smoke, or the intense flavors of the cask. Benriach Malting Season is not the only dedication to the tradition and craft of floor malting, but it is also one of pride knowing that your distillery profile, and its production processes, can stand on its own in what is relatively a young whisky, and of a high proof.
So simply put, I love the creamy and nutty malt character of the Malting Season. It does a superb job of allowing you to really get to know the abundant orchard fruit notes that are at the core of the Benriach distillery.
Glendronach 12: For me, the Glendronach 12 is a whisky that absolutely over-delivers for a 12-year single malt. It is becoming somewhat rare to see affordable single malts exclusively aged in sherry casks, even more rare for a whisky to be aged in both Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez casks. My favorite notes in this whisky are the soft autumnal fruits that complement the baking spice notes followed by a creamy chocolate finish.
Glenglassaugh Sandend: For anyone that has worked with Glenglassaugh pre-2023 rebrand knew how special this distillery was and will be in the future. It’s been marvelous to see the distillery get the attention it so long deserves. Boasting a luscious tropical fruit profile that you’d be hard pressed to find at any other distillery coupled with its coastal maturation, provides us with something really special. Sandend particularly highlights both Glenglassaugh’s house style and its coastal location. The pineapple and honeydew melon note on the nose, followed by the buttery vanilla and ripe fruits on the palate, coupled with that crack of sea salt on the finish is fabulous and so unusual. The use of Manzanilla Sherry casks, a dry coastal sherry from Spain, expertly offsets the sweetness of our spirit by balancing out the flavors while also adding that touch of savory sea salt. And coming in at a lovely 50.5% ABV, it really sets the bar high and challenges how we think about non-age-statements.
If that doesn’t get anyone excited about trying these three, I’m not sure what would. Any exciting plans for World Whiskey Day? What’s your special pour?
I will actually be back home in Scotland for a short while when World Whisky Day comes. So I will no doubt raise a few drams with friends and family when I’m back. My special pour will most likely be my dad’s favorite, the Glendronach 18…although he has become quite partial to bourbon recently, so maybe a wee Woodford will be in order?
Hard to go wrong with either of those options. I split my time between corn and barley-based spirits myself. Malting Season is an exciting release, with the floor-malted barley being done on site. Is there anything you can tell us about what all goes into those special editions in regards to preparation and the work around handling the floor-malted barley there at Benriach? Anything we should know specifically about this 3rd edition?
Quite a lot to look forward to with our 3rd edition coming out! This will be our oldest aged Malting Season release to date. It will contain stocks ranging from 9.5 and 10.5 years old, matured in both ex-bourbon and virgin American oak barrels, and will come in at a lovely 48.3% ABV. Expect notes of delicate bergamot, clementine, honeyed apricot, and wild cherry, running alongside the classic floor-malted notes of rich barley sugar and almond cream. Similar to the previous points I made, a whisky that is on average 10 years of age, and of such a high ABV has little right to be as soft and delicate, and abundant in fruit as this. It goes to show the craftsmanship behind our production process and dedication to the traditional methods of floor maltings. There’re really no other distilleries in Scotland doing this!
I love that they’re keeping the tradition alive with the floor-malted barley. It seems there’s a bit of a revival around Glenglassaugh, especially with this Sandend release. Can you give us some history and maybe some insight into where the brand is headed? It’s seemed like a bit of an experimental side for the brand triad for a while, but maybe it’s found its voice.
1875 – 1907: For all that have worked on this distillery, we’ve all known that this was the sleeping giant just waiting for its moment in the sun. The whisky has always been fantastic, just quietly waiting til it was ready. It’s always been thought of as a distillery that has been a bit of an unknown, even for experienced single malt drinkers, and certainly – until presently – it has been very much under the radar. However, if you read back, you’ll find some surprising history on this distillery. It has a well-recorded reputation of producing excellent and highly valued single malt soon after it was established in 1875. After the crash of 1899/1900, when about a third of distilleries in Scotland would be either mothballed or closed down with some to never to be opened again, Glenglassaugh would see its doors close in 1906.
1960 – 1986: Then, with a whisky resurgence in the late 1950s and into the 1960s, Glenglassaugh was reopened in 1960 after a refurbishment in 1959 which saw it modernized with some of the old buildings being replaced with more functional ones (even today, it has not changed in the slightest since the 50s refurbish, a real time capsule!). It continued to produce excellent single malt, but it wasn’t necessarily the style that whisky blenders were looking for in their blended Scotch whiskies (the dominant product of the industry at the time). Distillery owners were looking to secure large volume contracts with blenders. And what blenders were looking for was single malt stocks that had more of a classic apple, pear, lemon, honey, vanilla note to them. This style could be easily blended in large volumes with other more richly flavored peated Islay whiskies for example. That’s why we see Benriach distillery do particularly well having secured large blending contracts during this time. But Glenglassaugh, while still having contracts, were much smaller in volume. Fascinatingly, the owners during this period tried to alter the house style to allow it to secure these larger contracts and ran a number of tests to see how to change its luscious tropical style. They would eventually narrow it down to our mineral-rich water source. As we are on the coast, our water source comes from deep within the Highlands and accrues an abundance of minerals that contribute to an unusually luscious and sweet wash in the fermentation stage when we see esterification taking place. These flavors are of course then concentrated in the distillation phase. In fact, Glenglassaugh’s water source is five times higher in minerals than the average water source in Scotland! It’s a fabulous case study for the “if the water makes a difference” argument. Due to this being the reason for Glenglassaugh’s unusual house style, and as it’s not something you can just change, it was mothballed in 1986 once the industry took a downturn.
Post 2008-2013: After sitting for over two decades, it was revived when the Single Malt Scotch Whisky market began to really gather momentum in the late 2000s. Glenglassaugh was purchased in 2008 by a small consortium of business people with Stuart Nickerson as Master Distiller. They had the onerous task of bringing it back to life after it had sat dormant for such a long period of time. Replacing, cleaning, repairing, until it was fit for purpose. Quite the undertaking, but incredibly commendable. From here the new owners set about releasing some of the old stocks of whisky that had been sitting in the warehouses, while also getting to work perfecting the new make and laying down new casks. They go on to release a trio of whisky expressions: Glenglassaugh Revival, Evolution, and Torfa. Each of these bottlings would evolve over time as each time they were vatted and bottled they would gain more and more age on them – all driving toward an age statement.
2013-2016: We see ownership change with Master Distiller Billy Walker taking the helm and continuing what the previous owners had been doing, which is to say, continuing the core line but waiting for an age statement to be ready for release.
2016-present: New ownership again with Brown-Forman acquiring Glenglassaugh (alongside its sister distilleries Benriach and GlenDronach) and now having Dr. Rachel Barrie at the helm as Master Blender. We are now a part of this continuous task of building stock and waiting for the right moment. At last, in 2023, we were ready to launch our first 12-year age statement, alongside the two amazing NAS expressions: Portsoy and Sandend. A momentous occasion for us all. All the hands that have been at play over the years to get to this point have been incredible, and really encapsulates what the Single Malt Scotch Whisky industry is all about. Patience. It’s an amazing achievement for everyone that has had a part to play, as Glenglassaugh could have been so easily lost to time! And to then go on and win Whisky Advocates “Whisky of the Year” was the cherry on top.
Love the history there and seeing it kept alive. Considering the success of Sandend, I’m sure there are great things to come! So, our other sample here is Glendronach 12-year. Glendronach 12 has been a rock solid option for sherry hounds for years. For our readers that enjoy the 12 year, what other bottles would you recommend for them to try next?
I would have to recommend either the Benriach Twelve (the unpeated 12-year, that is), or our new Glenglassaugh 12-year. Both are very sherry-forward. Glenglassaugh 12-year will marry together sherry, bourbon, and a small number of red wine casks at 45% ABV. Notes of candied pistachio, date and sweet fig roll into waves of morello cherry and whipped cream, infused with fresh coastal air. In a similar vein, the Benriach Twelve is a sherry-and-fruit-forward expression that marries sherry, bourbon, and port casks. Notes of maraschino cherry, baked orange and hazelnut, with a lingering sultana and spiced mocha finish bottled at 46% ABV. But of course, if your readers are looking at diving deeper into the GlenDronach distillery, I can’t recommend the GlenDronach 15-year enough. That is by far the most balanced sherried whisky, balancing the richness of our first and second fill PX & Oloroso casks with our Highland house style in this lovely sweet spot at 15 years.
I’m going to have to get a bottle of the Glenglassaugh 12 to try now. I keep the 15 -year Glendronach on my shelf and agree that it’s a wonderfully balanced option. Having been the Brand Ambassador for a few years now, what are you most excited about in regards to the future of your three brands?
Reflecting back to when I first began working with these distilleries in 2017, I was the brand ambassador for the San Francisco Bay Area, it’s been remarkable to see these distilleries grow into their own unique personalities. Now having gone through two rebrandings and building a steadily growing fan base, it’s been quite the labor of love! And we have so much more to come. I’m so excited to see Glenglassaugh continue to grow. We will be releasing some very special whiskies from our coastal warehouses in the coming months and years. We have been waiting a very long time for this moment and have some incredible stuff just waiting to be let out. It’s rare for any Scottish Distillery to be in a situation where we have stock that has gone untouched from the 1960s, through the 70s, and into the 80s! So expect to see much more from this rising star distillery.
Coastal warehouses eh? We’ll have to keep in touch… Excited to see what you guys bring out! Wrapping this up, there’s a question I always like to ask. When you’re NOT drinking a bottle from your brands, what’s a go to pour for you? Corn or barley-based, I won’t judge!
Bourbon. Big fan. No shame. I’ve been so lucky to have the opportunity to visit Jack Daniel’s, Old Forester, and Woodford on a few occasions and I’ve grown to love bourbon. I do enjoy Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel (barrel proof if I can find it) or Old Forester 1920 is always a winner.
Sampling the Whisky
The GlenDronach 12 year
43% ABV – PX + Oloroso Casks
Nose – No hiding the sherry here. Baking spice, raisin, sweet creaminess.
Palate – Plenty of flavor while restrained in the proof. Some warmth but reserved. Sherry influence is there with some baking spices and raisin.
Finish – Mild but lingering. Get a hint of nuttiness as it fades out. Quite impressive for the proof. (I’m a bit of a proof hound…).
A wonderfully balanced example of well-sherried whisky. Very affordable entry into the GlenDronach family and exhibits a lot of the character you’d get from a bottle at twice the price.
Benriach Malting Season 3rd Edition
NAS but Rory clued us in it’s blended from 9.5-10.5 year stock.
48.3% ABV, Ex-bourbon and virgin oak blend.
Nose – Ever walk into a distillery? Sweet barley… malt… maybe some fruit there. This is an homage to whisky that doesn’t need to hide behind finishing.
Palate – Light fruitiness running on top of sweet malt flavor. Extremely well balanced here. Maybe some creaminess or vanilla from the ex-bourbon but those virgin casks feel like they are winning out in the balance a bit, and not in a bad way.
Finish – With a little more ABV than the last one, the finish goes on a bit longer. Flavors from the palate just carry on for a couple minutes lingering on the back of your tongue. Little dry, but delightful.
Rory wasn’t kidding about this one. It’s an homage to uncomplicated and traditionally malted whisky. There’s no fancy finishing here, nothing to hide behind at all. It’s just great distillate in great barrels chosen by an absolute master of the craft. I’m a sherry hound, but even I appreciate just how good this is.
Glenglassaugh Sandend
Ex-bourbon, sherry, and Manzanilla Sherry Casks
NAS, 50.5% ABV
Nose – Had to double check to make sure I wasn’t smelling a drink with an umbrella in it. Plus with the light color it’s surprising that there’s that much going on with the nose. Sherry takes a back seat to tropical fruit, enjoyed by the ocean.
Palate – Yep, more rich that a whisky this color has any right to be. The proof definitely helps here. Tropical fruitiness, with sweet rich notes in between. Some light spice thanks to the higher proof. Well balanced.
Finish – This one is the driest of the three I think. Admittedly I looked for the saltiness mentioned in the official tasting notes and I think maybe there was just a hint of it on the finish. Kind of lingers like you ate a piece of tropical fruit, with just a dash of salt to bring out the best of both flavors. Again, the proof is a good thing here.
I can’t help but be excited about Glenglassaugh with this being an idea of where they are headed. Whiskey with tropical notes is always fun for me and usually I’m opening a bottle from Taiwan to get those notes. There’s a richness in this that belies the light coloration. At this price, it’s one you’re going to want to buy and give it a shot.
