Product description
Glenesk Distillery, based in Hillside in the Eastern Highlands, began operation in 1897.
Its history is full of ups and downs, changes in owners, changes in production profile, and above all, its name – in 88 years it changed its name five times: from Highland Esk through North Esk, Montrose, Hillside to Glenesk, and even the latter experienced different spellings (Glen Esk and Glenesk). In the years 1938-1964, as Montrose Distillery it produced grain whisky. In 1965, stills were reinstalled (two pairs) and after changing the name to Hillside, the plant experienced its short period of glory. It was already owned by DCL and operated under the management of Wm Sanderson & Son, a subsidiary of the concern, and most of the production (2.5 million litres per year) went to the VAT 69 blender.
Another name change (this time to Glenesk) took place in 1980, but it turned out to be not very fortunate. The distillery ceased operations in December 1985, and in 1992 its license expired. Today, Glenesk single malt is a rarity, a look into the past of Scotch whisky, especially in the period when distilleries fought for survival and did not always emerge victorious from this fight.
Glenesk 1984 is an exceptional whisky, distilled in the final year of the distillery's operations. It spent almost a quarter of a century in refilled sherry hogsheads resting in Gordon & MacPhail's warehouses in Elgin. This edition was the highlight of the Connoisseurs Choice series in 2008.
Aroma: a meadow washed away by May rain and the scent of fruit, apples, pears and apricots, almonds, marzipan, honey, vanilla, green tea, a hint of window putty and a fading trace of peat smoke.
Taste : surprisingly rich, red apples, grapes, dried apricots, tangerines, cashews, cappuccino, honey, vanilla sugar, eucalyptus drops, hay and a barely noticeable trace of sulfur.
Finish: expressive yet medium-long, with notes of brown sugar, grape jelly, white pepper, hay and oak.