Cadenhead's Glenlochy 1977 19yo Glenlochy Distillery - Fort William. Cadenhead's bottling. WhiskyBase reference page

For info   Reviews on sshhh! aim to detail the flavours, feelings and quality of each dram, wrapped up in as little nonsense as possible (!). Each whisky is tried on its own and given time to speak out, even if they often talk gibberish.
 
Glenlochy was one of the 3 distilleries in and around Fort William, but closed its doors for the last time in 1983. It's now very rarely seen on the market and bottles are often of long-aged offerings. It seems to remain fruity in profile for most of this time. - see Malt Madness - Glenlochy for a detailed profile.
 

Tastes & Smells
It had a very subtle nose, enough to make me note "not much". But what was there was lemony, contrasted by a musty, old cupboard thing. But it was one of those that went from nothing on the nose, to quite a lot in the mouth: lemon ajax and bonfire toffee were the first to hit, expanding on the limited nosing. Then it moved onto its main course: fresh, unusual herbs. The herbs moved into heather and pot-pourris, mirroring the early mustiness and (tasty) cough sweets came into play a little - all wrapped up in a sherbert fizziness. Finally, it changed as you dwelt on it as well, leaving licorice and saltwater taffy in the mouth.

Worth shouting about?
I came into this with an open mind, a chance to sample a rare malt. But it was priced accordingly and was a pretty old bottle (bottled in 1997) which I knew nothing about. I was pleasantly surprised, not just with the quality of the dram, but with a disctinct profile: a really interesting herby, lemony thing that had little obvious comparison with mainstream malts. Not only was the palate rewarding, but the finish left a lovely salty-sweetness that enhanced the overall enjoyment. I might never have a Glenlochy again, but I won't forget this one.

Summary & Ramblings
It's main feature was a herby freshness so this one takes you straight to a summer meadow, perhaps with a lemony drink on the side - a little bit of summery fizz. As the sun sets, you head inside to a mustier room to have a nice, warm snooze.

Tasted on: 20/10/13 Bought on: Just tasted. From: Dagda Bar, Edinburgh State: Two pints in 8.1 6.0

50yo grain whiskies don't come around often - and this one's a belter.

tldr;
Rare, and more rewarding than I was expecting. Tasty and distinct.
 
 

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