Glenesk Hillside 1970 (Rare Malts Selection)

A 25 year old Glenesk, a distillery bottling, from 1970, at 61.1%. Glenesk is a closed Highland single malt, its bottlings now rare and sought by collectors. It was founded in 1897, when a flax mill at Montrose was first turned to distilling. Much of its make went to blends, above all William Sanderson's Vat 69. It returned to malt whisky in 1964, with two pairs of pot stills, under the name Hillside. Its water was drawn from the river by the Angus coast at Montrose. Drum maltings added in 1968 outlived the distillery and are working still.

The spirit was run slowly off the spirit still, for a clean, lightly fruity spirit with a malty backbone. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, oak lactones lending a creamy vanilla. At this evaporative stage ellagitannins lend structure while oxidation builds a richer tropical fruit over beeswax. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the malt.

At 61.1%, undiluted, it is rich and fruity. A honeyed, malty sweetness, lifted by a soft oak. The body is light and gently oily, the malt lifted by a soft oak. The finish is rounded, honeyed and clean. This is a light, malty Highland single malt.