Whisky Focus - Glasgow 1770 Small Batch Series 4

The Glasgow Distillery, which unveiled Glasgow's first single malt whisky legally produced in the Scotland's biggest city since 1902, is expanding its innovative Small Batch Series by introducing three new expressions. After receiving numerous prestigious awards for its Glasgow 1770 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, including a recent gold medal at the International Spirits Challenge, the distillery is now reviving past cask experiments by maturing its whisky in Cognac, Tokaji, and Innis & Gunn Golden Beer casks.

Mike Hayward, co-founder of The Glasgow Distillery, commented: "We’re in a privileged position at The Glasgow Distillery as we produce three different styles of single malt whisky - unpeated, peated and triple distilled. Our previous forays into Cognac, Tokaji and Golden Beer cask finishes were so popular that we decided to experiment further using these different styles.

"Glasgow 1770 Triple Distilled Cognac Cask Finish utilises our triple distilled whisky, producing a wonderfully smooth and elegant single malt packed with plenty of tropical and fresh citrus fruits. The apple and pear notes that are commonly found in our Triple Distilled spirit are accentuated with the benefit of the two years in a Cognac cask.

"Finishing our peated whisky in Tokaji casks for the first time has produced a complimentary mix of peated BBQ smoke, dark fruits and spice from the initial maturation in new American white oak and the intense rich honey and fruit characteristics from the Tokaji cask finish.

"Combining our Glasgow 1770 unpeated whisky with Innis & Gunn Golden Beer has proved to be a fruitful collaboration, creating an expression with a distinct hoppiness and rich dark fruits. For this second bottling, we decided to leave this batch in an ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry Golden Beer cask for a full year, resulting in notes of rich sultana, cherry and orange set against a backdrop of dark fruits and vanilla."

Glasgow 1770 Triple Distilled Cognac Cask Finish underwent initial maturation in ex-bourbon casks for just under three years. It then spent an additional two and a half years in French Cognac puncheon casks, resulting in a limited production of 1,576 bottles with an ABV of 52%.

For Glasgow 1770 Peated Tokaji Finish, the journey began with three years of aging in virgin American white oak casks, followed by a two-year finish in Hungarian Tokaji hogshead casks. This exclusive release is bottled at 53.4% ABV, and only 615 bottles are available.

Glasgow 1770 Golden Beer Cask Finish Batch 02 can be found exclusively in the distillery's new Collaboration Pack, which includes a bottle of Innis & Gunn's PX Finish Golden Beer. Notably, this beer was initially aged in the same cask before the distillery utilized it for their single malt whisky. This unique offering allows consumers to savour both the beer and whisky born from the same wood, exemplifying the distillery's commitment to transparency and storytelling. This release boasts a higher ABV than Batch 01, registering at 58%.

Encased in the distinctive industrial-style bottles synonymous with the Glasgow distillery, Glasgow 1770 Golden Beer Cask Finish will be offered at a price of £64, while the Triple Distilled Cognac Cask Finish and the Peated Tokaji Cask Finish can both be purchased for £59 each through the distillery's official website.

You will also find the current Glasgow 1770 whisky range available from specialist online whisky shops such as Master of Malt
 

• A marriage of three casks, 18/965 – 18/967, this expression was initially filled into a first fill ex-bourbon cask on the 3rd of February 2018 before moving into French Cognac puncheon casks on the 17th of December 2020, bottled on the 12th of July 2023.
   
• 2 YR 10M in first fill ex-bourbon casks, 2 YR 6M in French Cognac casks
  Bottled at 52% ABV
   
• Outturn: 1576 bottles
   
• This is the distillery’s first release of a Triple Distilled Cognac cask finished single malt (they have previously released a Peated whisky that was finished in Cognac casks). The apple and pear notes that are commonly found in their Signature Range Triple Distilled single malt (bottled at 46%) are accentuated and highlighted with the benefit of the Cognac Cask finish which adds increasing layers of fresh green apples, poached pears and a rich vanilla undertone. A fantastically smooth and fruity release that demonstrates the smooth and vibrant qualities found in the distillery’s increasingly wide portfolio of Triple Distilled single malts.
   
• Green apples, poached pear, vanilla ice cream, shortbread, bright citrus spice
  On the nose expect notes of bright orchard fruits, fresh green apples and rich poached pear with slight floral undertones. The palate is smooth and delicate with notes of rich vanilla ice cream, creamy shortbread and citrus fruits with a gentle fruity undertone throughout. The finish is long and satisfying with notes of tropical fruits and fresh ginger with hints of toffee and a bright citrus spice.

• Vatting of two sister casks, 18/961 and 18/962, both virgin American white oak from Kentucky Cooperage initially filled with the distillery’s peated new make spirit on the 14th of March 2018 before moving into two Hungarian Tokaji hogshead casks on the 18th of November 2020. Bottled on the 27th of July 2023.
   
• 2 YR 8M in virgin American white oak, 2 YR 8M in Hungarian Tokaji casks
   
• Bottled at 53.4% ABV
   
• Outturn 615 bottles
   
• Tokaji is a Hungarian sweet white wine from the historic region of Tokaj which lies at the north eastern border of Hungary with Slovakia.
   
• The Glasgow Distillery consider Tokaji wine casks as one of their most interesting and intriguing maturation selections due to the intensely tropical and ripe fruit notes that are gained from ageing this type of wood. The distillery has released unpeated and triple distilled single malts in the past that have been matured in Tokaji, but this is the first time they have released a peated expression finished in this distinct style of cask. The rich BBQ peat smoke from their peated single malt compliments the dark fruits and spice from new American white oak and the intensely rich honey and fruity characteristics from the Tokaji finish.
   
• Candied orange peel, sweet tropical smoke, dried apricot, cashew nut, manuka honey, dark chocolate
   
• On the nose experience notes of candied orange peel, Seville marmalade, rich vanilla and sweet smoky tropical fruits; grilled pineapple, ripe mango and dried apricots. The palate is creamy and thick, with notes of vanilla custard, manuka honey, cashew nuts and a rich fruity undertone throughout. The finish is fruity and long-lasting with more apricot, a subtle wisp of smoke and a dark chocolate delicate bitterness.

• A first fill ex-bourbon cask that was filled with the distillery’s unpeated new make spirit on the 17th of April 2019 before spending 12 months in an ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry cask that previously contained Innis & Gunn’s Golden Beer. Bottled on the 12th of June 2023.
   
• 3 Years 1 month in first fill ex-bourbon, 1 year in PX/Golden Beer cask
   
• Bottled at 58% ABV
   
• Outturn 340 bottles
   
• This is the second batch of the distillery’s ‘Golden Beer Cask Finish’ collaboration with Innis & Gunn. Their first batch was finished in the PX sherry cask for 3 months, whereas Batch No. 2 has spent a full year in the finishing cask for added depth and richness of flavour and an accentuation of the hoppy beer notes. Innis & Gunn’s Golden Beer spent 4 months within the PX cask before it was emptied and quickly filled with The Glasgow Distillery’s single malt, so both sherry and beer notes are very much at the fore in this release.
   
• This release is exclusively available in the distillery’s new Collaboration Pack – available for £64, this bottle comes paired with a bottle of Innis & Gunn’s PX Finish Golden Beer. This is the beer that was in the finishing cask before the distillery used it for their single malt whisky, so consumers have the ability to taste both the beer and the whisky that have come from the same wood, part of the distillery’s emphasis on production transparency and joy of storytelling.
   
• Sultana, hops, orange peel, nutmeg, cinnamon spice
   
• On the nose expect rich sultana, cherry and orange set against a backdrop of dark fruits and vanilla. The palate is generous and full-bodied with notes of dried apricots, orange peel, raisins and a hint of fresh ginger. The finish is long and robust with notes of dry hops, nutmeg and sweet cinnamon spice.

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