Strathclyde 28 Years Old 1993 Cask #243393 (The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd.)

Bottled by The Vintage Malt Whisky Co Ltd, this Strathclyde, a 28 year old grain whisky from 1993, drawn from cask 243393 and bottled at 49.5%. The outturn was 198 bottles. Strathclyde, first built in 1927 on an old cotton mill site in Glasgow, is a Glasgow grain distillery. Built first for neutral grain spirit for gin, it entered whisky with the Long John brand in 1936.

The spirit was run through column stills, an analyser and a rectifier, on Loch Katrine water, to build a soft, sweet grain character. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, American oak giving coconut and toffee. Beyond twenty five years the grain grows deep and oily, coconut, butterscotch and crème brûlée over polished oak. Patient ageing gives the oily, waxy texture prized in old single grain. Its grain whisky has long fed blends like Long John, Ballantine's and Chivas Regal. Twin Coffey stills run on wheat, the water drawn from Loch Katrine.

Undiluted at 49.5%, it is layered. The ex-Bourbon gives coconut, vanilla and toffee. It is clean and sweet, the grain spirit shining through. A sweet, coconut led finish lingers. This is a single grain from Glasgow's only grain distillery.