Review by: zSolaris

Scotch Whisky Review #357: Singleton of Glendullan 19 Year Diageo 2021 Special Release

Distillery: Glendullan.

Region: Speyside.

Age: 19 Year.

ABV: 54.6%. Cask Strength.

Cask Type: Refill American oak casks, finished in cognac casks.

Cost: Sample courtesy of /u/I_SAID_NO_GOLDFISH.

Color: 0.8, Deep Gold.

This is the 22nd installment of this years’ Christmas Countdown. You can see the 2020 edition here and 2019 edition here.

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Nose: (according to the wife) The nose on this is quite light, you have to try a bit to pick up anything. When you do, you get the distinct smell of honey lemon tea. There’s also a bit of yujacheong (유자청), which is basically marmalade made from yuzu. There’s a light waxy note as well, not candle wax but a bit of beeswax perhaps.

Palate: It’s quite sweet from the get go. Notes of pure sugar water are the first ones out. A bit of Swerve sweetner follows along with malt barley sugars. Citrus marmalade notes come through, both the traditional orange marmalade and yujacheong.

Finish: Medium in length. Juicy Fruit bubblegum is the main note here.

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Conclusion: I’ve only tried one other Glendullan before, the standard 15 year, and I was less than impressed with it. This special release from Diageo seems to be a much better prospect. It remains simple, basically notes of sugar and marmalade, but even in that simplicity comes pure deliciousness. The notes are right up my alley and were it not for the asking price, I would be happy to add this to the bar. The biggest disappointment is the sheer lack of the cognac cask finish. If I hadn’t seen that they were supposedly finished in them, I would have never had known as this does not reflect a cognac finish whatsoever.

Final Score: 81.

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Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
• 50-59: Save it for mixing.
• 0-49: Blech.