Glasgow lowland single malt with Cognac influence

Glasgow Distillery is proudly located on what could well be the most ugly industrial estate in the city. The buildings themselves are not much to talk about as well. Industrious city whisky in the lowland region, without the charm of the beautiful Clydeside Distillery at the banks of the river, but slowly but surely building a dedicated following. With a group of friends we talked our way inside the distillery in the early January days of 2023, and got a delightful tour there. It is modestly chronicled by me for the Maltfascination blog. Since then, I have a soft spot for the make, and try to keep up with their expansion plans and new releases. You should too. Today we taste a Glasgow single malt coming of age at 6 years old.

1770 Glasgow Single Malt, 2017 – 2023, bottled at 52 % for Bresser & Timmer

Makeup: The spirit matured since 4 July 2017 in first fill ex-bourbon casks, and along the way it got a finish in Cognac casks. The bottling date is 18 July 2023. Some 180 bottles were released for Dutch importer Bresser & Timmer, so I expect you can find a bottle in that domestic market.

General impressions: This is a big and entertaining clash between the many styles included in the making of this bottle. There is freshly baked banana bread, infused with a good dose of vanilla, and ultimately a basket of green apples. A delightfully fresh and frivolous whisky! After some breathing time some more classic lowland influences emerge, mostly grassy notes. A very complete and balanced whisky to nose. Can’t wait to take a sip!

A very mellow and pleasant mouthfeel, like liquid silk on the tongue, making this an excellent summer dram. I have to say, it lacks some complexity at this point, with the main markers being vanilla, white wine, banana milk (this would be a hit in Korea) and very delicate wood spices. It is on the finish that we notice the Cognac influence on this whisky, adding an interesting note as it goes out the door. Only with a few drops of water, we get a bitter hint that could be taken from the Cognac casks as well, but could also just be enlarged wood spices.

Conclusion: An entertaining, simple whisky that is the ideal companion for a late summer night. Glasgow is riding a wave of releasing decent, balanced and honest lowland single malt whisky.

Score: 83 points

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