1770 Glasgow Peated Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%

Smoke from the Lowlands is a rarity. For decades the region stood for the light and floral while peat was left to the islands. Glasgow Distillery decided to do it anyway, and laid the smoke down in Pedro Ximénez casks where it found sweetness to lean against.

The Expert's Description

1770 Glasgow Peated is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in Virgin Oak and PX Sherry casks and bottled at 46%. The distillery calls it Rich & Smoky, and it is their peated core expression, made from peated malt during part of the production year.

The cask choice is what makes it. Virgin Oak gives spice, cinnamon and a drier wood edge, while the PX Sherry casks lay in a thick, almost syrupy sweetness: raisins, dates and dark sugar. The smoke sits between the two and comes out rounder for the company than it would have on neutral wood.

The whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured, and bottling at 46% was chosen to keep the body intact. The water comes from Loch Katrine and fermentation runs beyond 72 hours.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Sweet smoke first, closer to singed raisins than a bonfire. Behind it come dates, dark sugar and a note of burnt orange. There is a layer of cinnamon and dried ginger from the new oak as well.

Palate

Full and sweet. Raisins and molasses open, then the smoke steps in as a dry earthy floor. The spices arrive last: cinnamon, clove, a touch of chilli. The texture is thick and slightly clinging, which is the PX cask signature.

Finish

Long. Smoke and dark sweetness go hand in hand, and a drier, almost coffee-like bitterness lingers at the end.

Specifications

Name: 1770 Glasgow Peated Rich & Smoky Single Malt Scotch Whisky 46%
Distillery: Glasgow Distillery
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Virgin Oak and PX Sherry casks
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
EAN no.: 5060411501218

Flavour Profile

Smoky · Sherry Matured · Sweet · Spiced · Full Bodied · Dried Fruit

Did You Know?

Glasgow Distillery launched Makar Gin long before the first whisky was ready. It is a common strategy at new distilleries: the gin can be sold immediately and pays the bills while the whisky sits maturing for years. Without the gin, 1770 would probably have had a harder time reaching 2018.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 1770 Glasgow Peated Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 46%

How heavy is the smoke in 1770 Glasgow Peated?

Moderate and sweet. It sits a long way from the sharp medicinal Islay style and reads more as a dry earthy floor beneath the sherry sweetness. If you are cautious about smoke, this is a calm place to begin.

What does a PX Sherry cask do to whisky?

Pedro Ximénez is the sweetest sherry style, and the casks leave raisins, dates, molasses and a thick mouthfeel. Combined with smoke it gives a sweet-and-smoky profile where the two elements pull in different directions without fighting.

Is peated whisky from the Lowlands unusual?

Yes. The region has traditionally stood for light, unpeated and often triple distilled malts, with peat smoke belonging to the islands and parts of the Highlands. A number of newer Lowland distilleries have begun to break with that division of labour.

Does it work with food?

Try it alongside blue cheese or a dark chocolate dessert. The sweetness from the PX cask and the smoke work well against salt and bitterness. To compare with other Scottish malts in the same exercise, see our range of Scottish Single Malt Whisky.

Why is there no age statement?

Because the distillery bottles by taste. With a peated whisky a great deal also happens in the first few years, as the smoke shifts quickly in the cask, and a fixed number would tie the product to the youngest cask in the mix.

Which glass suits it best?

A tulip-shaped glass gathers both smoke and sweetness and makes the profile easier to read. A Glencairn whisky glass is the industry standard for exactly that reason.