Strathclyde 31 Years Old 1980 Cask #1501 (Duncan Taylor)

This is a Strathclyde single grain, chosen and bottled by Duncan Taylor, a 31 year old release from 1980, drawn from cask 1501 and bottled at 54.2%. The outturn was 182 bottles. Set in the Gorbals, Glasgow, Strathclyde has made grain whisky since 1927. Single grain releases are rare; this comes from an independent bottler rather than the distillery.

It was worked through continuous column stills from wheat, for the light, sweet grain spirit the distillery is known for. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, the wood adding coconut, vanilla and toffee. Long ageing brings a deep coconut, toffee and a mellow, polished oak. The high strength spirit mellows slowly into a soft, sweet old grain. 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 a hearty 54.2% it carries real weight. The ex-Bourbon gives a sweet, oily vanilla. Soft toffee and vanilla sit behind the sweetness. The close is soft, dessert sweet over oak. This is an aged single grain from a Glasgow distillery.