Glenglassaugh Pedro Ximenéz Sherry Wood Finish (46%, OB, 2017)

• Category: Highland single malt scotch whisky
• Origin: Glenglassaugh Distillery
• Bottling: Brown-Forman
• ABV: 46%
• Cost: £55

What they say:

PEDRO XIMENEZ SHERRY WOOD FINISH

The luscious sweetness of our full-bodied spirit is intensified in Pedro Ximenez sherry wood finish. Known as the ‘King of sherries’, PX is a sweet, dessert sherry, made by the sun-dried PX grape, known for its unctuous raisiny character. During finishing, the PX cask imbues Glenglassaugh with sun-dried warmth, reminiscent of a richly baked fruit dessert, spiced by the sea.

Colour:

Harvest gold.

Nose:

Loaded with creamy vanilla and hints of white pepper over caramelised orchard fruits.

Palate:

A dusting of vanilla-infused Demerara sugar over pear tarte Tatin, finished with a cedar wood spice and rich, sweet barley.

What I say:

Sampled during our visit to Glenglassaugh distillery. Following our tour we took a short stroll to Sandend bay where a beach BBQ supper had been setup by Good Highland Food. During this we sampled each of the new Wood Finish expressions as Glenglassaugh Whisky Maker Rachel Barrie described each and its suggested pairings with the food we enjoyed.

Appearance:

Dark copper bronze (13/20), medium-fine tears and strong medium-fine legs

Nose:

That classic PX combination of chocolate and dried fruits, raisins, treacle toffee and molasses, plum, damson, fig, malty cereal barley, nutmeg and cinnamon spice mix which sweetens with a touch of honey to become reminiscent of ground cumin seed

Taste:

Milk chocolate, dried strawberries dipped in chocolate, raisins, figs, jammy, a touch of plum and apricot and a hint of cherries too, the spices develop with ground cinnamon, nutmeg and more cumin, like a well-spiced gingerbread.

Finish:

Medium-long, toffee

Overall:

Good sweetness and a delicious chocolate / toffee and fruit influence of the PX casks, a slightly unusual (i.e. not often encountered) cumin herbality develops from the mix of spice & sweet, underneath is still that fatty & tropical fruit Glenglassaugh spirit but the finish masks some of this character.

Score: 84/100

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