Glen Flagler (Moffat) Rare All-Malt Scotch

Glenflagler, better known as that one obscure lowlander that you should try it if you have the opportunity, but shouldn’t waste too much money on. A relic from another era when the industry believed in the viability of conjoined single malt and grain distilleries. The Lowlands had no less than four of them: Ladyburn, Kinclaith, Inverleven and Glenflagler. Today these names are just footnotes in the grand history of Scotch whisky and more often than not just bought as a collector’s item. Well today I’m going to crack open one of the two Glenflagler miniatures in my possession. It’s not the more common 5yo edition, I will definitely be reviewing that one at some point in time, but an NAS… Wait an NAS when your age statement release is only 5 years old? We can presume that this dram is only three or four years of age. God have mercy on my soul.

---

Description: an NAS official release, black label rare all malt, bottled at 40% ABV.

Nose: warm grain, whole wheat biscuits with fruity fragrances of pear.

Mouth: medium body with only one note on the palate. That of apple cider, sour at first but bitter afterwards. Make that very bitter, unappealingly bitter even. (with water added: the bitterness is under control now, alas except for some vanilla no new flavours can break free).

Finish: short, bitter and drying, with oak tannins and white pepper.

---

Verdict: expecting a soft, unstable watery concoction closer to the profile of a cheap blend than that of a single malt. What I got was a young, rough and unpolished whisky, that was mostly unattractive due to its bitterness. Flavour wise it was ok, I guess. As already mentioned in the intro, try if you can but don’t waste too much money on its and maybe keep another dram by your side to flush it through.

Find where to buy Glen Flagler (Moffat) whisky