Strathclyde 26 Years Old 1990 Cask #110016 (A.D. Rattray)

This is a Strathclyde single grain, chosen and bottled by A.D. Rattray, a 26 year old grain whisky from 1990, drawn from cask 110016 and bottled at 56.6%. Only 180 bottles were released. Strathclyde, built in 1927 in the heart of Glasgow, is a Glasgow grain distillery. Single grain releases are rare; this comes from an independent bottler rather than the distillery.

Distilled in column stills for a light, clean grain spirit, building the light Glasgow grain style. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, American oak giving coconut and toffee. Long ageing brings a deep coconut, toffee and a mellow, polished oak. The slow loss of the angel's share concentrates the sweet, oily core over decades. Single grain releases are rare, almost all of them from independent bottlers. Light grain spirit takes oak readily, so long ageing brings out coconut and toffee. The distillery sits in the Gorbals on the south bank of the Clyde.

At 56.6%, undiluted, it is deep and sweet. The ex-Bourbon gives a sweet, oily vanilla. It is clean and sweet, the grain spirit shining through. A sweet, coconut led finish lingers. This is an aged single grain from a Glasgow distillery.