Glenury Royal 40 years 1970 - 2011

Founded in 1825 by Robert Barclay, the distillery took its name from the valley running through the Ury district. Just weeks after opening, a major fire destroyed the stocks of barley along with the kiln and parts of the malt floor. Glenury Royal's malt floors were closed in 1968. The distillery then continued to produce malt whisky for almost two more decades, but finally shut down in May 1985. In 1992, the owners decided to sell the distillery and 1 year later this happened. A real estate company became the owner and created flats on the site where the distillery first stood. This makes Glenury Royal one of the closed distilleries.
 

Origin and bottling

This very rare 40-year-old Glenury Royal was made from Single Malt Whisky distilled in the year 1970 and bottled in 2011. It was the third Glenury Royal Special release after the 36-year-old distilled in 1968 and the 50-year-old from the year 1953. Only 1,500 bottles were launched worldwide of this very exclusive bottling.

Cask type

The majestic 40-year-old Glenury Royal is bottled in cask strength. It spent its 40 years of maturation in Refill American oak casks. It wears its years without the slightest trace of fatigue. A quality that Captain Barclay would certainly approve of.

Tasting note

Colour

Amber gold

Nose

The nose is soft at first but soon deepens into rich, dark chocolate, perfumed with cherries, then soft apples, tart red berries and buttery fudge. Adding a little water introduces more complex creamy fruit aromas of peaches, figs and cherries with a faint hint of smoke.

Taste

On the palate, a very pleasant and appealing oily texture leads to cool, dry sandalwood and then to a sweet-bitter contrast, like sugar crystals in coffee grains. With water, it is sweeter and gently bitter; creamy chocolate edged by tarragon and grapefruit.

Finish

The finish is long, with fresh cedar notes, a pronounced dry oak note and with delicious cocoa powder. The finish is delicately savoury with a little after-eight chocolate, soft and silky, with light, fragrant smoke in the aftertaste.

Overall impression

Distilled in 1970 and still preserved and available today thanks to collectors. Many more unique whiskies are not available by now.

This Glenury Royal 40 years 1970 - 2011 gets an average score on WhiskyBase of 92.09/100 points

Serge Valentin rated this whisky on his blog page WhiskyFun.com with 92/100 points.