When Glenglassaugh took home the Whisky Advocate’s prestigious #1 Whisky of 2023 award, people were in a bit of shock. How could this little Scottish distillery no one had ever heard of be making the best single malt on the planet?
While the resurrection of Glenglassaugh originally took place by a private owner back in 2008 (it had been shuttered in 1986), the real progress took hold when Brown-Forman purchased the distillery back in 2016, along with Highland stalwarts BenRiach and GlenDronach. The latter two names are quite familiar to most of our Scotch whisky lovers, but Glenglassaugh had remained quietly in the background until last year.
Even the Whisky Advocate had to acknowledge that it had “plucked a relative unknown from a group of big-name contenders,” adding “little did we know there was an upset in the making. Winning in a nearly unanimous vote, single malt scotch Glenglassaugh Sandend became our 2023 Whisky of the Year.”
Here’s the really exciting part: we originally sold the Sandend for $70+ after it won the big award, but we’re thrilled to announce today that we’ve secured another round of the record-breaking whisky for just $59.95 this time around.
Glenglassaugh Sandend Single Malt Whisky $59.95
95 POINTS: WHISKY ADVOCATE - #1 WHISKY OF 2023 - Glenglassaugh Distillery is situated on the north coast of Scotland, perched upon high ground overlooking the North Sea. The whisky is often described as a “coastal” Highland malt, which seems a fair assessment. This non-age statement expression, named for the bay offshore, is bright and delicate, with aromas of citrus and minerality leading to a luscious palate filled with layers of flavor revealing peach, apricot, honey, pound cake, and vanilla, all accented with a touch of sea salt. Rolling spices help create an explosive, long-lasting finish. It’s gentle yet complex, but above all it’s an easy sipper you can just sit back and enjoy. And at $70, it represents pretty fair value for a single malt scotch.
Why is Glenglassaugh so little known? Primarily because it has spent more time being closed than open in its nearly 150-year history. Founded in 1875, it was shuttered in 1907 for 53 years. It then reopened only for brief periods before closing in 1986, this time seemingly for good. But in 2008 Glenglassaugh was purchased by an investor group that restarted production, and it subsequently was acquired by Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman in 2016. It still hadn’t been heard from much until recently, because stocks needed replenishing. But now Glenglassaugh is ready to roll, and judging by this stellar release, patience is being rewarded in spades.