Whiskies aged in first-fill Sherry butts are especially so, and those drawn entirely from such sherried stock are invariably known as “sherry bombs” for the potent flavors the malt whisky has derived from its time spent mingling with the sherry-soaked wood. The ‘Sherried’ character, therefore, is down to the Sherry itself, but also oxidation and the way in which the Sherry has interacted with and changed compounds in the oak. All of these then interact over time with the maturing spirit.

The Sherry and wood form a pincer movement that stamps out distillery character or any sense of identity in the distillate itself. A great Sherry-matured malt should possess a balance between distillery identity, fruitiness, earthiness and a lick of spice. Sherry bombs almost always eschew this tightrope balance in favour of heat, density and aggression of wood flavor.

Glenglassaugh Distillery was mothballed from 1986 until 2008 it reopened. A distillery, built in 1875. Glenglassaugh means “Valley of the Grey-Green Place,” which refers to its lush coastal surroundings. It’s the only distillery to straddle the Highland/Speyside border, with a coastal position, resulting in taste influence from three locations. The whisky matures in the beach side warehouses exposed to the North Sea air, which lends it intriguing salty notes. Highland malt with seductive coastal charm. Matured in a balanced and mix of American bourbon & red wine European oak casks, and undergoes a final maturation in sherry casks.

ABV: 46%. Color:Copper, natural. Cask Type: Refill bourbon barrel/Sherry

NOSE
Sweet caramel and toffee with notes of nutty sherry, milk chocolate and honey. Ripe plums, red berries and oranges. Caramelized sugar and earthy, charred oak. I was greeted a forced nose, good coffee toffee, a meaty walnut, leathery sherry, the good part while waiting for ginger snaps and the smell of maple syrup on a stack of fresh pancakes in a few drizzles of artificial berry syrup. 

Surprisingly, the first thing I tasted was bit kippery. Its very syrup sweet and the wine flavor mimic the nose cause of the Oloroso sherry. This baseline sherry is strong in fragrance, but dry in taste. Attempting very hard to contain the rest of the caramel, a slightly artificial saccharin tinged with cherry. 

PALATE
Sweet, rounded & creamy. Oranges, plums, cherry and walnuts, chocolate, honey-mead, sherry and soft, spiced oak.

FINISH
With a medium impression, it’s pleasant and has an earthy peat that lingers, the sherry says hello again, tingle of spice on the tip of the tongue. You are still nevertheless assaulted by the youthful enthusiasm of caramel maple weird ginger snap cookie that stays with you