Glenisla 28-year-old (D.1977, B.2006) Signatory Vintage / 48.6%/ 0.7l

Glenisla is a rather mysterious brand of whisky, the result of distillation experiments carried out in the 1970s at the Glen Keith distillery.

The whisky has a smoky and peaty character, but this is not a result of the malting process. According to Hugh Thompson, retired manager of Strathisla and Glen Keith distilleries, around 45 litres of concentrated peated water was added to the mash, delivered in 200 litre containers from Stornaway. Glenisla is undoubtedly one of the rarest single malts of our time; the few editions we know of came to market through Signatory Vintage (always distilled in 1977). The one presented here, distilled on 7th July 1977, spent 28 years in hogshead cask no. 19598 and was bottled in the Cask Strength Collection on 10th March 2006 in an edition of 274 bottles.

Nose : burnt peat, barley malt, honey, caramel, vanilla, smoked plums, orange peel, baked apples, tobacco, charred oak and a mix of dried herbs.

Palate: smoky peat, stewed pears and apples, toffee, vanilla, caramel, bitter orange jam, cocoa powder, black pepper and charred oak.

Finish : quite long, with notes of peat, charcoal, grapefruit, lemon peel, dried herbs and black pepper.