Origin: Speyside (Scotland)
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Strength: 58.7%ABV
Ageing casks: European Oak
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Diageo
Average price: € 490.00
Official website: www.thesingleton.com
As the famous saying goes: “Rome was built on seven hills, Dufftown stands on seven stills“. Of these seven distilleries, only six are still active today, and Glendullan is certainly not the first that comes to mind when you ask to a whisky drinker.
Today I have the opportunity to taste one of the rare OB releases from Glendullan. A single cask, called The Manager’s Choice, distilled on 13 December 1995 and bottled on 18 March 2009, at 58.7%abv. Its current availability is limited exclusively to the secondary market, with all the consequences that entails.
Tasting Notes
The color is a deep gold.
The offering on the nose is truly intriguing: an ensemble of burning wood, hazelnut cream, dried fruit, sour cream and tobacco, with a later hint of dried leather. It may be a suggestion prompted by the tobacco, but I seem to detect a distant note of smoke. The balsamic push of liquorice and an impression of milk chocolate complete a distinctive profile in which the ABV is wonderfully concealed.
On the palate, a creamy dimension (apricot and hazelnut) dominates, quite consistent with the nose, with an intense citrus side of orange peel and a sprinkling of pepper. The sweetness is evident but not overpowering, and the alcoholic strength continues to be well concealed. The body is robust and the whisky conveys a sensation of fullness.
The finish is long and rich, with notes of fruit cream and orange peel, and a pronounced pepperiness.
Conclusions: Given the limited prestige of the distillery, I was expecting a pleasant dram but nothing remarkable. Instead, Glendullan—at least in this version—shows a certain personality. It is therefore a pity that the owner’s choices, however justified, obscure its potential and visibility.
Vote: 88/100