"It’s gentle yet complex, but above all it’s an easy sipper you can just sit back and enjoy." - David Fleming, Whisky Advocate
Highland's Glenglassaugh has always been under the radar of most single malt drinkers and whisky fans, as the distillery itself has sat dormant for long stretches of its 150-year history, but since being revived in 2008 and purchased in 2016 by spirits giant Brown-Forman, and after years of gearing up production, reinvestment, and stockpiling juice, the brand's trajectory has taken off, culminating their Sanded bottling's shock win for Whisky Advocate's #1 Whisky of 2023. As David Fleming puts it, "now Glenglassaugh is ready to roll, and judging by this stellar release, patience is being rewarded in spades."
The distillery bills its whiskies as "coastal malts," and that moniker is pretty much a perfect fit for this stylish, approachable, yet eminently intriguing profile. Aged in ex-bourbon, manzanilla, and sherry casks and blended by Rachel Barrie (the masterful hand behind the malts of BenRiach), the Sandend is "bright and delicate" on the nose, leading to "a luscious palate ... [with] an explosive and long-lasting finish." The WOTY honors for Sanded may have been your first introduction to Glenglassaugh, but it's safe to say they're on everyone's radar now. Best of all, our new, limited-time, razor-sharp pricing on the Sandend makes it easy to get fully on board with this single malt rising star.
Glenglassaugh Distillery is situated on the north coast of Scotland, perched upon high ground overlooking the North Sea. The whisky is often described as a “coastal” Highland malt, which seems a fair assessment. This non-age statement expression, named for the bay offshore, is bright and delicate, with aromas of citrus and minerality leading to a luscious palate filled with layers of flavor revealing peach, apricot, honey, pound cake, and vanilla, all accented with a touch of sea salt. Rolling spices help create an explosive, long-lasting finish. It’s gentle yet complex, but above all it’s an easy sipper you can just sit back and enjoy.
95 points, David Fleming, Whisky Advocate (Winter 2023)
#1 - 2023 Whisky Advocate Top 20
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