30/05/2022 Glenlochy

Glenlochy 29yo 1980/2010 (52.8%, Signatory Vintage Cask Strength Collection, Hogshead, C#2649, 265b, b#71): nose: ooft! From the get-go, we have a combination of prune syrup, dark-chocolate coulis and a drop of light coffee. It gives a general breakfast feel, which is very pleasing, on top of being topical. Nail lacquer and hair spray reinforce this perception of a morning dram, then glazed carrots and poached pears add a slightly different aspect. It has something old school about it, something reassuring. Maybe an old iron, from before electricity was discovered and domesticated, a time when irons had to be heated by the stove or the fireplace, before they could be used to straighten clothes. It is a sort of rusticity that really speaks to the Old Man of Huy. A drop of water makes it what I can only qualify as 'inert'. We now have grassy notes and metal, yet they feel inert, on the verge of silence. And I do mean 'inert', not 'vanished'. The aromas are stuck at the bottom of the glass, unwilling to come to the rim. Mouth: on the tongue, it is more recognisable as a Glenlochy, dishing out anaesthetising gravel and a strong bitterness: bay leaves aplenty, oregano thrown into flames, cast-iron pots to make marmalade in (though currently empty), and a mugful of coffee on the side. It is a tin mug, to be sure, cowboy style. Chewing it for a minute, the whisky reveals bitter citrus (unripe bergamot), but it by no means is a fruity drop -- oh! no. The second sip pushes the citrus forward a bit (orange rind, dried pink-grapefruit peel), but retains the austerity all the same. Marjoram in a boiler room. In fact, hot, dusty metal takes off quite a bit. Water makes the palate much juicier and more lively, almost fresh,  with orange juice, albeit served in a pewter cup. Lovely. Finish: well, it seems a lot more welcoming and accessible, at this point. Here, we have a spoonful of marmalade (one that does not contain much sugar, if any) in a cast-iron bowl, and, if one may think of pink grapefruit, it is dried pink grapefruit, soaked in red wine and served in a metal dish (cast iron or pewter). At a push, one might find a dash of mocha, or a pinch of coffee grounds; in truth, I reckon it is closer to steam coming out of a very-old cast-iron boiler or lead pipes. Steampunk dram alright. Water brings little surprise in that it is still fairly herbal, but more surprisingly, it is also fruitier: the marmalade notes are bolder, sweeter, and actually augmented with apricot jam. That is still served in a cast-iron recipient, but all the same. It is always a treat to try a Glenlochy, and this one is particularly to my taste. 9/10