Glenglassaugh rebrands with new range

Brown-Forman has relaunched its Highland single malt brand Glenglassaugh with a new trio of expressions and a coastal-inspired design.

The ‘reimagined’ Glenglassaugh range includes the 12 Year Old, Sandend, and Portsoy expressions. The collection has also been given a new look, inspired by the sand tide at Sandend Bay on the Moray coast.

The brand’s previous core range – Revival, Evolution and Torfa – has been discontinued and the whiskies are no longer being bottled.

Rachel Barrie, master blender at Glenglassaugh Distillery, based in Portsoy, Banffshire, said: “The new portfolio brings together all the key elements of Glenglassaugh’s spirit.

“Inspired by its truly unique coastal location, the new expressions transport us to a place where the spirit is awakened and soul invigorated, inviting us to stop, take a breath and appreciate our surroundings.

“To taste Glenglassaugh single malt is to experience the coastal influence of Sandend Bay and the ancient harbour towns nearby. Shaped by the coalescence of land and sea, the senses are awakened by the imposing yet calming crash of waves and the sweet smell of gorse in the air.”

Bottled at 45% ABV, the flagship 12-year-old bottling is said to embody the brand’s ‘signature coastal style’. It is priced at RRP £50 (US$63).

It was matured in Bourbon, Sherry and red wine casks and provides a nose of ripe apricot, figs and vanilla, with flavours of pistachio, dates, sweet fig, morello cherry and whipped cream.

Meanwhile, the Sandend single malt was inspired by the crescent beach of Sandend Bay, and matured in Bourbon, Sherry and manzanilla casks. It carries a price tag of RRP £55 (US$70).

The 50.5% ABV bottling has an aroma of ‘soft buttery vanilla ice cream drenched in tropical fruit, with chocolate and a touch of sea salt’. Flavours of salted caramel follow on the palate with hints of pineapple, cherry and grapefruit.

The ‘richly peated’ Portsoy whisky (49.1% ABV) was inspired by the neighbouring harbour village of the same name. It can be purchased for RRP £60 (US$76) .

Matured in Sherry, Bourbon and Port casks, the single malt carries notes of maritime, tropical fruit, Sherried dark soy, liquorice and sea kelp on the nose, alongside flavours of dark chocolate, fermented soy and charred mango, with treacle and sea salt.

To celebrate the brand’s relaunch, Glenglassaugh has partnered with landscape photographer Richard Gaston to create a series of snaps that capture the distillery’s links to the land and sea.

Later this year, Glenglassaugh will release single malts dating back to the 1960s and 1970s in honour of the brand’s heritage expressions.

Glenglassauch Distillery was reopened in 2008 and became part of Brown-Forman’s portfolio in June 2016, following the firm’s acquisition of BenRiach Distillery Company.

Last summer, Brown-Forman invested more than £30 million (US$36.5m) to double production at Highland whisky distillery The GlenDronach.