Glenury, Glenury Royal, Glenury-Royal. To-may-to, to-mah-to.
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| Box MkII with label MkI Tsk-tsk! |
Glenury Royal 1984/2007 (43%, Gordon & MacPhail Rare Old, JG/AEB): nose: oooh! it is full of lovely stewed oranges, marmalade and candied peel. Upon pouring this, it seemed mildly woody; nothing overwhelming, but there certainly was furniture wax and garden chairs, coated in oil, as well as plywood sheets. Now, a few minutes later, it is all about fruit, and oranges definitely lead that dance. Looking very hard, one may find subtle nuts too. However, the dominant is and remains stewed oranges: compote, chunky marmalade and warm PiM's filling. The second nose has barley sugar and warm porridge, doused with honey. Tilting the glass seems to add Cologne, far in the back of the nose. In the long run, dunnage warehouse also makes a discreet entrance. Mouth: it seems gentle at 43%, yet keeping the liquid on the tongue reveals just how feisty this would have been at cask strength. Ginger shavings, cinnamon sticks, dried orange rind, sumac and ground cloves provide a spicy background for what is otherwise a continuation of the nose, which is to say: orange-y. The palate is bitterer than the nose suggested, but it is tolerable. Unripe hazelnuts or unripe (and unsalted) pistachios and bitter Seville-orange rind. This is truly a marmalade-y drop! Perhaps it has a herbal-and-metallic nuance, dried oregano, marjoram or sage. Finish: oranges are loud, still, yet a bold nuttiness matches it, this time. Walnut oil, hazelnut shells, roasted pistachios, cocoa-bean shavings. It is also pretty sweet, here, with honey and poached apricots joining the warm marmalade. There is soft tree bark too. Nothing like the cinnamon sticks from the nose: in fact, it reminds me of landscaping mulch. Then again, it might simply be cocoa beans instead, chewy and not very tasty. Towards the Death, distant cardamom pods call for attention, although they barely succeed at being heard. This is a long, comforting finish that is never boisterous and all the more appreciated for it. Excellent! 9/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)
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