Glen Mhor 1982 (Signatory)

56.8% abv

Score:  87.5/100

Glen Mhor is another of the ‘lost distilleries’.  Not a whisky you’re liable to find much of, outside of rather pricey older independent bottlings.

Some of these now-closed distilleries were primarily used in the production of blend components, so if we’re speaking honestly, are not always 100% up to snuff in being considered for bottling as single malt.

Some though, are tasty indeed, and well worth the effort of tracking down.  Glen Mhor?  Hmmm…maybe.  Maybe not.  I’d say ‘why the hell not?’ though.  It is, after all, a piece of history and, if the opportunity presents, a chance to taste whisky as it existing in days of old.

If the name of the distillery rings familiar, it is likely due to the fact that it was one of the mature ‘old school’ style malts that was used by Richard ‘The Nose’ Paterson in his recreation of the Mackinlay Shackleton whisky in 2011.  In needing something a little older, and bearing a more vintage profile, Paterson opted for this vaguely smoky, somewhat malty whisky to prop up the younger malts in his masterwork.  Logical really.  Glen Mhor was a core distillery used in the original blended Rare Old Highland Malt, which the replica was based on.

The distillery itself was situated in the Northern Highlands…Inverness, to be exact.  Neighbouring the infamous Loch Ness.  Sadly, any tour of the region (for those hopeful of sighting the beast), will not include a tour of Glen Mhor.  The distillery was leveled in 1986.  Nowadays it is the site of a shopping center.  Not a fair trade, really.

I have only tried a couple of Glen Mhor to date, so I can’t really speak to the distillery’s general profile, but I can share a few thoughts on this one.  This particular expression is from a wine-treated hogshead.  It was distilled in 1982 and bottled in 2010 from cask #1328, effectively making it a 28 year old single malt.  One of the last distillates before the distillery closed its doors in 1983.

Anyway…the verdict?  Quite good.  Not great.

Nose:  Seems younger than 28 years.  Floral and weedy.  Spices leeched from the cask.  Bit of pepper.  Old cask (dry oak).  Raisin and bitter mincemeat/fruitcake.

Palate:  Still mincemeat.  A little more dried fruits.  Very tannic and drying.  Almost meaty…almost savory…almost smoky.

Thanks to Andrew Ferguson at Kensington Wine Market for the sample of this one.  Appreciate it, mate.

– Reviewed by:  Curt

– Photo:  Curt