Review by: zSolaris

Distillery: Glenglassaugh

Region: Highland

Age: 9 year. Distilled on the 5th of March, 2009. Bottled in 2019.

ABV: 57.30% Cask Strength

Cask Type: Port

Cask Number: 685

Price: ~$95

Color: 1.5, Auburn/Polished Mahogany.

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Nose: (according to the wife) Sweet boozey red grapes come through strong at first along with a red berry compote. There’s a note that reminds me of balsamic reduction, with a slight tangy element along with sweet and savory. A bit of maple syrup comes through as well as a hint of Pine Sol. Raisins pop in a bit with some water to add to the fun.

Palate: At full strength, it’s quite oaky and hot. You get a lot of red berries, strawberries being the main player, along with a hint of dark red cherries. It does need a decent amount of water to calm it down. Dried fruits rule the day once it does calm down with raisins, dried red cherries, and freeze dried strawberries. It remains quite oak-y, though if you do add enough water it does eventually subside.

Finish: Fairly short. Red berries follow through. With water, a small note of chocolate malt pops in.

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Conclusion: This Glenglassaugh pick for Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa, CA comes from a few months after production resumed there in November of 2008. I’ve not had any exposure to this distillery and figured I’d dive in headfirst here. If you look a darker fruit bomb, this is probably the whisky for you. Red berries, dark red cherries, and raisins rule this from near start to finish. The little bit of balsamic reduction in the nose and the little bit of chocolate in the finish are fantastic bookends to this giving it a bit of depth and preventing it from becoming a one track whisky. The oak is a little strong for me, but that is largely fixable with water. When you get the water just right, its absolutely delicious.

Final Score: 83.

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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.