Glenglassaugh Port Wood Finish

I picked up a bottle of this basically as an add-on to another online order because I was interested in a non-peated, port finished whisky that I could “crush” on those days I choose to drink quantity over quality. I figured this bottle would fit that bill quite well...but, it didn’t really work out that way. This Glenglassaugh is a NAS whisky finished in undisclosed port wine casks and was bottled at a robust 46% ABV. I paid just shy of $65 for it. It’s slightly amber/deep gold in color and there’s indication of a significant amount of water added due to tons of legs and lots of oily droplets left behind after a thorough spin in the Glencairn. The nose is caramel candies, toffee butter and very sweet. There’s light vine fruits indicating the main maturation period was in ex-sherry casks, but there are some nice wine notes and color here to indicate Port finishing. Something smelled borderline artificial, however. The palate was again overrun with toffee and caramel flavors, albeit velvety smooth and sickly sweet. Vanilla and sherry notes arrive mid sip and turn the mouthfeel somewhat thick. Light oak notes and a funky dryness appear late, too. The finish is short to medium, smooth as hell, but still buttery and overly sweet. A dessert dram for sure. I have mixed feelings about the whole experience: the sweetness plays well if that’s what you’re down for, but I can only take 1-2oz at a time before I’m ready to move on to something with some teeth. Overall, a 3.5 star dram that could be a 4 on certain days, but maybe 2.5 if you drink too much in one sitting. It just goes sugary sweet awfully fast. Give it a try in a bar or get a pour from a friend before plopping down $65 for a full bottle. Cheers.

Glenglassaugh tasting evening, Sydney, Feb 19th. Whisky #3 Nose: Walnut loaf, ginger oatcakes, milk stout (!), sandalwood, vanilla, spearmint (!), musk, peach, berries and a touch of smoky oak. It's an interesting mélange of aromas. Palate: Full, buttery, juicy and rounded arrival. Black cherries, dark honeyed malt, soft spices, dark chocolate, caramel, toffee. The texture is luscious and mouth-coating. Some might call it syrupy (I don't). A dash of water expands the flavour profile to include strawberries, rosewater and water chestnut, and there's a little dry oak in the late development. Finish: Medium. A rich and satisfying malty/sweet berry aftertaste with a refreshing earthy sting in the tail. In many ways this is simply the Evolution expression made much heavier, richer and sweeter by finishing in port pipes. The nose has the Glenglassaugh signature fragrant malty distillate character at its core but there's an overriding sweet red-fruit profile. It's very much an after-dinner dessert whisky. Serve this instead of port or pudding in cold weather. It's a sweet profile layered onto what is at heart a beast of a distillate that is already more sweet than dry in character. I enjoyed it and almost bought a bottle - in fact I may yet. One caution however - the tasting group was evenly split on this whisky. Half thought it too heavy and overly sweet, half loved it. After some discussion it emerged that those who disliked it had a personal preference for dry smoky whiskies, whereas the others veered towards non-peat sherry finishes. "Good" : 84/100 (3.75 stars)

Dipping back into my vast sample backlog, I came to Glenglassaugh, from the Highlands of Scotland. Port Wood Finish is... well...finished in Port wood. I love Port matured/finished whisky. When it’s done right you get lots of added sweetness and complexity. This one is bottled at 46% ABV and is non chill filtered and a natural golden color with pinkish hues to it. A candy-like sweetness begins the nosing experience along with fruity Port wine notes. Mixed berry pie and powdered sugar. Somewhat chalky at times but not necessarily in a bad way. Walnut bread, sandalwood, vanilla and lemon meringue. Honey, baklava, creamy, toffee. A whiff of smoke in the background. The palate is sweet at first, then a kick of spice hits to wake up the senses. Juicy dark fruits like cherries, plums, blueberries and strawberries. A touch malty but mostly covered up by the sweetness. Dark toffee/caramel, nectarines and peaches. Dark honey with a touch of allspice. A medium bodied mouthfeel that is creamy and mouth coating. The finish is medium long with sweet fruity candy, vanilla and winey notes. I liked this whisky, but I could see it being too much after the first dram. It’s not quite a dessert dram because of the spice level of the palate, but it’s just a little too sweet for more than just one, maybe two glasses. Good flavors, just a bit over the top in a few areas. At $65, or thereabouts, it’s not a bad price, but ultimately I would pass on buying a bottle. 3.75 and a thanks to @LeeEvolved for the sample. Cheers

Herbal wood and berries on the nose meet with cereal and Indian gum to give a rich, yet soft air that beckons the partaker in with promises of a complex tale of fruit married with Highland whisky. In the palate, allspice, cayenne, vanilla cream, grapefruit, citrus zest and dance gracefully before a lingering honey, raspberry jam, dry oak, and a lingering pepper warm subside. There's much here to contemplate: full yet not overpowering, rich yet subtle, and gentle. It's a whisky of grace and poise which, in an almost supernatural manner, seems almost the perfect dram for a rainy spring day.