2018 Claxton's Exploration Series Glenglassaugh 4 Year Old Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

There is already a superb purity and poise to this north-east Highland toddler, with its simplicity more than compensated by a creamy mouthfeel and the expressiveness of its one-punch flavour profile. Medium long and medium spicy, time in sweet wine barriques has tempered the latent feisty-fruitiness. With a small addition of water, some east coast brine becomes evident. Rich, malty, big-hearted and fun. 50% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

Notes from the bottlers... NOSE: Custard sweetness - trifle. Barley sugar. Hint of grape-sweetness. PALATE: Soft and sweet. More sweet grape notes and oak spice. FINISH: More custard sweetness on the finish. Nice mix of oak and barley.

Other reviews... Boy is this one young! Even younger, and it would be a kilogram of barley plus a glass of Sauternes. Some kind of finishing without any primary maturation in other words (come on, S.) but don't get me wrong, I very well know these modern babies can be super-good. Colour: gold. Nose: this is pure pastry, custard tarte, crema catalana, mirabelle liqueur, white chocolate, banana cake… With water: a tad more on croissants and brioches. And a small kougelhopf while we are at it. Mouth (neat): more sweet wine influence, as well as more spices, peppercorns, touches of ginger and cinnamon from the oak (I suppose it was French oak but many are also using Slovenian or Hungarian oak – same species though). Big pink gooseberries, oranges, plums… With water: more sweet maltiness, but indeed a sémillon-side too. Perhaps a tiny bit of pineapple? Finish: medium, on pastries, ripe bananas, custard, more white chocolate, a drop of muscat… The oak feels a little bit in the aftertaste. Comments: very good, of course, but the real achievement here is to make our guts (or hearts) believe it's ten years old, while our brain knows it's only four. Well done. 83 points - whiskyfun.com