New Glenglassaugh 51 Year Old Scotch Put To Cask Back In 1963

It isn’t too often you see 50+ year old Scotch come on to the market, but a new rare bottling from the folks at Glenglassaugh in Scotland’s Speyside region is one. The new 51 Year Old heralds from a distillery first founded in 1875 that went silent between 1986 and 2008. The whisky in question in this release was drawn from ex-bourbon cask 3301, laid down back in 1963 and said to be the oldest one in its inventory.

The Glenglassaugh 51 Year Old spent over five decades maturing in a coastal warehouse. It was then bottled in May of this year at cask strength (41.7% ABV), according to the distillery, and is both non-chill filtered and with no added colors.

“We’ve inherited some extraordinarily fine whisky at Glenglassaugh,” said head distiller Billy Walker in a statement. “It’s a real treasure trove and the 51 years old is the oldest bottling ever released from Glenglassaugh…and it is of unbelievable quality.”

Each bottle comes in a handcrafted wooden box. Only 191 bottles were produced for the release, and as for price expect to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $7,400 to $8,000 from what I’m seeing in overseas markets. Tasting notes for this rich mahogany colored release are below, courtesy of Glenglassaugh.

Nose: Fascinating depths and layers develop from figs and prune syrup to delicate apricot and hints of blackberry. All carry invitingly subtle soft Belgian chocolate and intriguing hints of roast coffee.

Palate: The exclusive mellow yet full-bodied character gives a rich, complex symphony of red fruit preserve, touches of treacle and the slightest mountain herb influence. Gentle clove oil, distant sour cherries and the softest peppery oak add a memorable sophistication to this rare vintage.

Finish: The rarity of the vintage mirrors the rarity of the unique characteristics of the whisky. Combining many facets of its ever-changing nature as it opens on the palate, the style and elegance of this rare whisky are to be savoured.