Glenglassaugh 12 Year

I’d been wanting to try Glenglassaugh for a long time. This first bottle has been impressive. In the glass, this scotch is richly colored and shows the slightest ruby hue. The nose is delicate — and a delicacy. Malt and honey present themselves first, followed by black cherry preserves. A genuinely interesting and appealing wood stain note shows up too, along with a nice maritime scent. The principal theme of the palate is deliciously fruity, with pomegranate and strawberry tart coming to mind. Vanilla and oak offer a supporting motif, and a flourish of salinity rounds the edges. The mouthfeel boasts a creamy texture that offsets the salty aspect and adds depth to the red fruit. The finish is drying and oaken, salty and rich. Finesse is the name of this opus. I hope to experience it again soon. Reminiscent of other notable malts: on par with Mortlach, more interesting than Macallan.

Nose is cooked apples, malt funk, and peaty iodine. Taste is of peat smoke and white sugar sweetness that balances it out. There's also pears and chestnuts baked in brown sugar and condensed milk. It's desserty, it's delicious, it's highland with aspirations of Islay. I didn't expect much but it's shockingly good.

Oak, cherry, berries, amaretto, orange peel, vanilla, almonds. Sweet rich palate, fruit, wood, some woody bitterness, pepper, quite smooth. @twostal

Day 19 advent calendar. Tried neat. Smooth, fruity, nutty with notes of cherry, pear, peach, nuts, pecan, amaretto, figs, apricot. @Looneyhead

Worth a bottle, a bit harsh on the nose and front palate, smoother toward the back palate. Appropriate with water or a hipster cube of ice.

In flavor, I think it’s more close to Islay than Highland single malt, or more like a combination of peaty and fruity whiskies