Glenesk 1984/2023 G&M CC UPPER

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 50.5% | Chill filtration: No | Colouring: No

Special Features:

This Glenesk matured for 38 years in a refill sherry butt and belongs to Gordon & MacPhail's second Recollection series. It was distilled on 9 May 1984 and bottled from cask 2636 on 8 February 2023. The single-cask release yielded just 103 bottles at a cask strength of 50.5%. It preserves spirit from the brief period when the distillery bore the name Glenesk, immediately before its closure in 1985.

Spiced berry fruit, chocolate and roasted nuts define its character, while coffee and apple linger on the finish. The whisky is non-chill-filtered and contains no added colouring. It comes in an oak presentation box.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: The nose combines rich berry compote with autumnal cinnamon and ginger spice and a hint of sweet, dark sugar syrup. Sultanas are followed by orange peel and toasted oak.
• Palate: On the palate, sweet, stewed forest fruits give way to dark chocolate and lime peel. Brown sugar complements roasted hazelnuts and a subtle pepper note.
• Finish: The finish is medium-bodied, with lingering coffee bean and apple notes.

Distillery/Bottler:

Glenesk Distillery produced the malt in the Highlands; Gordon & MacPhail had the whisky matured in butt 2636 and bottled it as an independent bottler. Founded in 1897 as Highland Esk, the distillery also operated under the names Montrose and Hillside, only becoming Glenesk in 1980. It closed in 1985, and its buildings were demolished in 1996, with the exception of the maltings. This release thus connects the brief Glenesk naming period with almost four decades of maturation at Gordon & MacPhail.

George Urquhart established Connoisseurs Choice in 1968. The range made single malts from numerous Scottish distilleries available as individual bottlings and now comprises more than 2,000 releases from almost 100 distilleries. Gordon & MacPhail tailors its cask selection to each spirit; this knowledge has been passed down through four generations of the family. The Recollection series focuses on long-matured stocks released annually.

Facts: