Scotch Whisky Review #332: Hart Brothers Glen Albyn 26 Year (1978)

Distillery: Glen Albyn.

Bottler: Hart Brothers.

Region: Highland.

Age: 26. Distilled in February of 1978 and bottled in September of 2004.

ABV: 46.0%.

Cask Type: Ex-Bourbon.

Price: $155 before Chicago city taxes. $178.25 with taxes.

Color: 1.3, Russet/Muscat.

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Nose: Fruit liqueurs are what come to mind up front. It’s a blend of boozey orchard fruits, a bit of orange liqueur and something that reminds me of ice wine. There’s a waxy element to this as well with the combination of scents really coming across like a fruity, boozey scented candle. A touch of something floral comes and goes as well, sweet pea flowers being the main culprit.

Palate: At bottle strength, it’s quite floral and earthy. An edible flower salad is the base. Darker and earthier notes come along with more of that boozey, fruity from the nose. Ice wine is the most prominent note here. With a touch of water, it brightens up considerably. The earthier notes get tempered leading way to massive amounts of orchard fruits. Apple cider, pear cider, and a touch of poached pears make their way through in force.

Finish: Medium in length. The boozey fruit notes continue on here as well. Apple and pear ciders being the main notes.

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Conclusion: If you’re like me, the name “Glen Albyn” probably has you reaching for Google to figure out what the heck it is. Glen Albyn was a distillery that sat on the Caledonian Canal and produced whisky up until 1983 using water from the famous Loch Ness. The distillery has since been demolished so I was incredibly surprised when /u/FederalAgents tipped me off to where some of their whisky could be had. He described it to me as “the closest to Clynelish” he’s had that isn’t Clynelish. I can see where that description comes from for sure. The nose is waxy, fruity, and floral which are all some of the best elements I’d associate with them. The palate, especially with a splash of water added, reminded me of another distillery–Linkwood in particular. The overflow of orchard fruits, albeit in a slightly boozey form, is delicious and reminded me heavily of a bottle dear to my whisky journey. Overall, this is a fantastic whisky and I’m almost sad that all the bottles in the picture aren’t mine!

Final Score: 86.

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Scotch Whisky Review #332, Highland Review #62, Whisky Network Review #477

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Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.