Glasgow 1770 Single Malt Release No. 1

This is the initial offering from Glasgow Distillery, established in 2012, with this bottling, 1770, released in 2018. The single malt is primarily composed of 4-5 year old whisky, initially matured in used bourbon casks and then briefly finished in new oak. It's presented non-chill filtered with added color at 46% ABV. Only 5,000 bottles were produced and distributed via pre-sale, with demand so high that purchases were limited to one bottle per person. Subsequent releases include a 2019 Vintage and a peated variation of the 1770 line. The appearance is a deep gold with thin, oily legs. The aroma offers grassy and biscuity notes, complemented by vanilla cream and butterscotch candy for sweetness. The alcohol strength and wood influence are well concealed. I anticipated more oak from the new cask finish, suggesting it was a brief treatment primarily to temper the sweetness. The palate features orchard fruits like green apples, pears, and soaked raisins. Butterscotch candy adds richness and creaminess. Midway through, it becomes warm with a drier texture than expected, finally revealing some fresh oak for structure. While not exceptionally smooth, it avoids being harsh, showing promise for a new distillery's first attempt. The finish is moderately long, with developing wood and pepper spice, alongside a pleasant orange and blackberry jam flavor that persists. It's quite delicious and a welcome surprise. This represents an exciting debut from a new distillery. It may lack depth currently, but future aged expressions in quality bourbon casks are likely to offer significant complexity. I'm also curious about its potential with rich Oloroso sherry cask finishing, as Lowland whiskies often complement softer sherry and red wine casks, which I hope Glasgow will explore. This distillery could become a notable Lowland producer. This dram, a gift from a friend, is a promising start and a quality drink. I suspect many bottles will remain unopened due to their inaugural status and collector hoarding. Unfortunately, I missed out on acquiring one myself. 3.75 stars. Best wishes to you all.

New distilleries often have poor first releases that are overpriced. This is one of them. Marketed as Glasgow's first distillery in a century, it tastes young. The aroma is mild raw plastic with some shortbread. The taste needs more time in the barrel; it's thin with notes of Cheerios and a weak floral flavor. It might be a collector's item, but others should pass.

Unusual, but banana taffy appears on the finish for me. Oak is prominent. I prefer it neat.