Glenisla 1977 (Signatory) (48.6%)

This Glenisla was bottled by the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, a 28 year old, distilled in 1977, from cask 19598, bottled at 48.6%, one of 274 bottles. Glenisla is the peated malt made at Glen Keith, the Speyside distillery's smoky experiment. Glen Keith made peated spirit in the 1970s, in part to cover Islay shortages for the blends.

It was made smoky with peat in the Glen Keith stillhouse, giving a light, peated Speyside spirit. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the light spirit. In the oxidative, evaporative years concentration brings tropical fruit, honey and a waxy depth over the apple. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation in the Glen Keith warehouses. The light, fruity spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and fruit to the fore. It ran triple distillation from the start, switching to double distillation by the 1980s.

At a natural 48.6% it is full and fruity. Peat smoke, green apple and a soft malt, with a soft vanilla from the oak. Pear, smoke and a creamy vanilla fill the middle. A long, smoky finish carries a green apple and a soft peat. This is the smoky face of Glen Keith.