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.

Glenury Royal Distillery

Glenury Royal Distillery was located in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, on the east coast of Scotland. Founded in 1825 by Captain Robert Barclay, a well-known athlete and MP, the distillery had a rich history spanning more than a century and a half. In 1835, Glenury was granted the privilege of adding "Royal" to its name, a rare honour bestowed by King William IV.

A specific feature of Glenury Royal was the use of water from the Cowie Water, which contributed to the unique character of their whiskies. Glenury Royal whiskies were known for their rich and complex flavour profiles, with notes of fruit, honey and spices. The distillery mainly used ex-bourbon casks for maturation, which ensured a balanced and deep flavour.

Despite its rich history, Glenury Royal was closed in 1985 and later demolished. Today, the remaining bottles are highly sought after by enthusiasts, collectors and investors because of their rarity and historical value. Glenury Royal remains a respected name in the world of Scotch whisky, remembered for the exceptional quality of its single malts.

Please note

This bottle was bottled a long time ago. Please be careful when opening. The closure may have deteriorated. The item is sold as photographed and described. We do not accept any liability for the condition of the closure.