Glenburgie 50 years apart: 1961 versus 2011
There are 25 whisky distilleries in Scotland that have “Glen” in their name. From the most well-known ones like The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Glen Grant and Glenfarclas to the really obscure ones like … well, perhaps Glenburgie? This mass producer of single malt whisky makes a little over 5 million litres per year, and precious little of that lands of the desk of the connoisseur. You might have tasted it nonetheless, but only as an ingredient of Ballentine’s blended Scotch. Indeed, the sole purpose of the distillery seems to be to provide a backbone for one of the world’s bestsellers.
Still, Glenburgie has quite the history as a singular distillery. Finding it roots in 1810, when it started out as the Kilnflat Distillery, it spent 60 years distilling under that name until it closed. After 8 years of silence, Glenburgie-Glenlivet restarted under that name, in the year 1878. During the Spirit of Speyside Festival of 2019, there was an offering in the programme to visit the involved Ballentine’s distilleries. I toured the Glentauchers, Miltonduff and Glenburgie sites. Efficient if not sterile operations, churning out millions and millions of litres of alcohol, that all have something in common: they are actually damn good on their own. Even though I have seen less Miltonduff around in the last few years, a lot of fruity examples of Glentauchers and Glenburgie hit the market via independent bottlers. Hanging out with a group of whisky friends in January, many delighted in the easily accessible yet often complex spirits from these big distilleries.
In the sample drawer I came across two Glenburgie expressions, distilled 50 years apart. From Gordon & MacPhail we have a 1961 vintage in the glass, while Archives presents us with a younger specimen from the year 2011. Let us taste them both, shall we?
Glenburgie 2011, 12 years old, bottled at 59,8 % abv by Archives
First things first: Distilled on the first of November 2011 and bottled on 18 June 2024 after maturing in first fill barrel # 800684. It produced 223 bottles for the Fishes of Samoa series.
Upon Sipping: Incredibly vanilla’d on the nose, with little room for nuance. Some hints of candy and summer flowers emerge after some breathing. The high abv might be blocking some of the wealth this Glenburgie has to offer. First a sip undiluted: lots of oomph, obviously, but more bitter than overly drenched in vanilla. Certainly complex, with nettle tea and mint. Some sunflower oil remains after the finish. With water: not much has changed. The nose remains flowery, leaning towards lowland grassy notes. The vanilla’d wood smoke is a nice detail. With water there is no more bitterness on the palate, instead the sunny notes remain. Some light banana mousse, whipped cream and cream-filled cookies make for an Easter suited single malt.
Word to the Wise: I am glad these kinds of bottlings exist. They showcase the straightforward maturation with a first fill barrel and it puts the spirit first. I can imagine this would be the fantastic base for a further maturation in a sherry cask of something more exotic, but I am glad to taste it like this: straight down the middle.
Score: 84 points.
Glenburgie 1961, 34 years old, bottled at 40 % abv by Gordon & MacPhail
First things first: This is a Licensed Bottling. Gordon & MacPhail actually bottled several brands as a semi-official release, putting in the spotlight unknown brands like Mortlach and Strathisla. This particular release was bottled in 1995. In that same year there was also a G&M release in the Connoisseurs Choice. The only other 1961 Glenburgie out there was a vatting with a 1948 vintage to celebrate the marriage of the Prince of Wales to Lady Diana, in 1981.
Upon Sipping: I expect this to be a vatting of a few casks and by the smell of it, quite a few sherry casks were thrown in. The smell is best described as walking into an antiques store. You can smell the tobacco that was burned next to the old cabinets and lounge chairs. Hints of fresh, red apples and waxy, honeyed influences. This is not far off from a long-aged Cognac, and would fit perfectly in a true Cognac glass, to swirl endlessly in the hand in your Chesterfield. The taste starts off with a metallic hint, but this soon changes into soft fruit, grapes and apples mostly, with again that strong hint of tobacco leaves that sliver in your mouth while chewing on a fat Cohiba.
Incredibly oily and supple for a distillate from a truly different time in the Scotch whisky industry. Certainly not too woody, and with an elegant finish.
Word to the Wise: A totally mellowed single malt whisky, tamed by more than three decades in the cask, and therefor in nothing comparable to the 2011 version. This is liquid history, and I would highly recommend getting such a bottle, as a reference to changed times in whisky production.
Score: 90 points.
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