Scotch Whisky Review #401: Glenury Royal 12 Year (1970s Bottling)

Distillery: Glenury Royal.

Region: Highland.

Age: 12 Year. Bottle comes from the 1970s.

ABV: 86 proof.

Price: $28 for a 1 oz pour at Jack Rose in Washington D.C.

Color: 1.1, Burnished.

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Nose: It smells as if it is lightly peated (whisky.com confirms that Glenury Royal did use some peat). There’s a light peat-y, gassy note that comes out. Following is a strong note of fresh hay along with dried herbs and berries. Bits of leather come in here and there, especially as you draw down the glass.

Palate: The palate really has that “old school” kind of feel to it. There’s a thicker mouthfeel, a light bit of peat, a bit of hay and a handful of dried herbs. A fruitier note in green apple comes in as well. After adding a touch of water, this dram seems to really perk up and liven up. Herbs, orange, grapefruit, and juniper berries all come through on top of a bit of peated malt.

Finish: Medium to short in length. There’s a note of orange peels, a bit of paraffin wax, and some vanilla.

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Conclusion: I’ve heard from more than a couple people that when in the D.C. area, you have to go to the Jack Rose. Other than being a highly recommended whisky bar, I honestly didn’t know a thing about what I was getting myself into. Having been, all I can say is I completely get why everyone says to go there. Among the some two thousand bottles (and rising) they had on offer, this Glenury Royal is one that caught my eye. It’s an official bottling from before the distillery’s closure in the 1980s and, according the bartender, the bottle has only been open for the last couple of weeks. It comes across as a great representation of what old school, lightly peated Highland whisky could be. There are some more “farm” notes in hay and some dried herbs coupled with some peat and some fruit. Overall, a great dram and a fun one to try!

Final Score: 81.

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Scotch Whisky Review #401, Highland Review #77, Whisky Network Review #555

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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.