Three old and rare single cask bottlings dating back to the 1970s make up the newly-released Glenglassaugh Serpentine Coastal Cask Collection.
Glenglassaugh has unveiled its Serpentine Coastal Cask Collection, a set of three vintage releases comprising a 48-, 49-, and a 51-year old. This follows the Scotch single malt whisky producer’s recent overhaul of its core range less than a year back with its new Coastal Malts offerings, marking a surprising and welcome hat tip to its days of old.
For those who may not be too familiar with Glenglassaugh, the Scotch distillery was actually shuttered for over two decades from 1986 until it was reopened in 2008 under new owners. This means that most of its current stocks are younger that 15 years old (which is why the brand’s core range currently only consists of only a 12-year old and two non-age statement whiskies).
Except for a number of random casks held over from before 1986, liquid reminders from a different era in the distillery’s convoluted history. And that’s exactly what the Glenglassaugh Serpentine Coastal Cask Collection is, each of which draws on extremely rare single casks from that old inventory. Chosen by Master Blender Rachel Barrie, they represent a different aspect of the coastal influence experienced this Highland distillery caught between land and sea.
The Glenglassaugh Serpentine Coastal Cask Collection 48 Years Old, for example, comes from cask #1863, originally distilled on 28 May 1974 and matured in an Aleatico red wine barrique (certainly a rare Italian varietal, and rarer still in those days). The 49 Year Old, on the other hand, is sourced from cask #5640 that’s distilled on 9 November 1973 and aged in a bourbon hogshead, while cask #1723 – distilled on 25 October 1972 and matured in an Oloroso sherry puncheon – became the 51 Year Old.
“The legacy of our most sought-after casks date back to the 1970s when these precious liquids were first laid down, patiently harnessing rich natural colour and sublime character, naturally forming the apex of our single malt whisky,” shared Master Blender Barrie.
“It is extremely rare to find casks which have been left to mature in coastal locations for such a long period of time and our warehouses, perched on cliffs overlooking Sandend Bay, have acted as the custodians of this old and rare liquid for over five decades. These casks give a unique insight into the nature of whisky making at the distillery before it was closed and capture a moment in time like few other expressions can,” she added.
Over the course of the year, a limited selection of casks will be released into the collection. And in case you’re wondering, the collection is named for the serpentine marble that adorn the craggy cliffs surrounding the distillery in the town of Portsoy. Not, as one would wrongly assume as we did, some mythical sea creature that plague these coasts.
The Serpentine Coastal Cask Collection is currently available on allocation globally, with price upon asking.
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