Glenglassaugh Torfa REVIEW

I've got a single malt scotch whisky from the Glenglassaugh distillery in the highlands. This is the Torfa, their peated NAS expression. I'll taste it and give you my thoughts. Cheers!
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Scores:
0-75 - Crap
75-79 - For cocktails & people you don't like
80-82 - Not bad
83-85 - Getting good here
86-89 - Delicious
90-94 - Awesome
95-100 - Cowabunga Dudes
Music: freemusicarchi...

[@peathead4450]

Thanks for shining a light on Glenglassaugh, Geoff. Have not tried this expression. If I choose a peated whisky, I find myself heading to Islay peat.... Maybe give this one a try though. Slàinte mhath

[@Gwhisky]

Not one I'd recommend highly, but yeah if you're interested it's worth a shot. At least the price is fair. 🥃

[@luminar5]

Hi Geoff, enjoying your review been watching for a while now, I am a big Glenglassaugh fan tried all the standard expressions, I know what you mean about could be just that bit better, the best expression I have tried is the Octave No 2 (unpeated) it’s awesome but alas all sold out in the UK lookin for another bottle at auction now. Keep up the good work Roger.

[@Gwhisky]

Sounds interesting. I've heard in the comments that they do have some really special releases out there. Sadly I only have access to the standard range where I live. Cheers Roger! 🥃

[@AlinJapan]

Good on you Geoff for covering another under reviewed whisky. It will be interesting to see if this brand gets better -- they really should let Rachel Barrie take charge on this one.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah really hope the new line is a step up! Cheers Alan! 🥃

[@ricardodelorenzo3954]

Excited to try an age-stated Glenglassaugh in the future!

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah let's hope they can turn things around! 🥃

[@Bowman1999]

A friend of mine gave a samples of Revival , Evolution & Torfa maybe 2 years ago. I liked the Torfa the best. Thought they were solid but nothing spectacular.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah pretty much...

[@aframs-cctaf-rams-cct6424]

I’ve only tried the “evolution” and thought it was really good; it reminded me of those Mexican hot chocolate abuelita bars

[@Gwhisky]

Can't say I've had those chocolates. The Evolution is another I tried ages ago when the brand was in a different place. Not sure where it's at now. Might see if I can sample it somewhere. Cheers buddy!🥃

[@groberti]

I tried that one as well.. my friend still has it. It has a nice sweetness upfront and then youth and bitternes in the end. TBH it was very good after I added a drop of Lagavulin 16 into it. Turned into a great whiskey for sure!

[@B.H90]

Heard from another YT reviewer, the distillery is currently closed, and not sure of the reopening date; no mention of the reason.

[@Gwhisky]

Had no idea. Renovations perhaps. I'd assume we'd have heard about it if it was being closed completely.

[@maltymission]

I too had the revival a few years ago and remember absolutely nothing about it. That said, I recently tried a young indie release and it was pretty damn good. it has the oily and butter notes and texture cranked up, adding depth and body, so I'm hoping the rebrand will (finally) deliver. Cheers

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah I'm cautiously optimistic myself. Cheers MM! 🥃

[@thewhiskyenthusiast]

Good review as always Geoff! How long was your bottle open for when you did this review? I did a review on it when it was open for about 6-7 months and above mid level just below shoulder and even though it was kept under perfect conditions, all the flavour espaced and I was drinking a ghost of it's former self. My journey was exact opposite to yours as in I loved the specs, I bought the whisky, drank and loved it for what it is, a peated young but not too young entry level robust dram but it started to fall off the cliff pretty fast. I agree with you, until I see some age stated ones I don't think I'll be reaching for a Glenglassaugh soon. Ps. I think they're logo is pretty cool and looks like a Stormtrooper's helmet from a distance :)

[@Gwhisky]

Mine's been open for about 5 months. Earlier on the thick first-fill notes were a bit much for me and it simply tasted a bit closed. It's since improved, but only slightly.A matter of taste, I guess. It's possible things could go downhill in the coming months. Regardless, I'm not especially charmed by this one. Cheers buddy! 🥃

[@MrChristopherMolloy]

Like you, not much experience with this brand; I think I bought a bottle of their "Revival" like 10 years ago and I don't really remember it. I also don't see it on the shelves very much where I am in my small town (what else is new). P.S. I like the little voiceover edits, it tightens up the videos 👍

[@Gwhisky]

Glad to hear you like the new edits. I always felt like my vids dragged a bit in the middle. As for this brand... yeah that's pretty much my experience with them. Forgettable.

[@vimalrajkappil]

This is first time i heard about this wishky..thanks for the introduction.. By the way what's your opinion on JURA 12

[@Gwhisky]

I haven't had it in a long time. Last time I tried it I found it somewhat average. 🥃

[@Nikolay_Nikolov]

Hey, Geoff😀 I haven't checked, but there is a good chance the meaning of Glenglassaugh in Scottish Gaelic to be "red-headed stepchild". Even in Billy Walker's time that brand didn't get nearly the love Glendronach and Benriach were getting. Still, the malt seems to be OK if unspectacular. All in all I'm not in awe about the recent development of Glendronach and Benriach. While we all knew that Glendronach is too good to last in the shape and form Billy Walker left it. I mean, come on. Not only we were getting superb malts at affordable prices, but the juice in the bottles was 4,5,6 years older than what the labels were saying. If that wasn't put to an end I wouldn't be surpised if Macallan, Balvenie, Dalmore and the likes, who constantly tell us that we can have nice whisky only if we pay through our noses, have ganged on Glendronach and bomb their warehouses... Still, IMHO Benriach was the distillery that took the most painfull blow. Out of the three Benriach was the funny one, with variety of well aged expressions, aged in all kinds of casks, colorfull labels, etc. Instead, now we are offered ugly, plain, faceless branding and dodgy range of bottlings. With all that in mind, Glenglassaugh looks like the one of the three that suffered the least. I even hear that recent bottlings are better than the old ones. If the rumors about new age stated core range prove to be true, maybe there is a hope after all. Provided they keep the good specs and don't go completely the way they did with Benriach. BTW, along with the Revival, Evolution and Torfa, there are also various Port wood finished, peated, non-peated, virgin oak, octave casks expressions available. Their prices in Bulgaria are around 45-50 euros. Cheers!

[@yoursinsincerely39]

Not sure they deserve a hug but an interesting review. I found the GG bottles to be rather uninspired. Tired casks in my opinion. Future review recommendation: Torabhaig bottlings. They are doing some good things out there.

[@Gwhisky]

Sadly I can't get Torabhaig here in Taiwan. It's one I've been interested in trying since their inaugural release came out. It will definitely get picked up the moment the opportunity arises. Have you tried Ardnamurchan yet?

[@yoursinsincerely39]

@@Gwhisky Too bad Torabhaig hasn't found themselves in Taiwan. Hopefully soon. I love Arndamurchan. I had a couple of their standard releases and their 2022 cask strength bottles at home. Last month, I stopped by their distillery and did a tasting of some of their new releases. One was a champagne cask finish and the other one was 4 year old PX octave finish. Despite their youth, you could tell how beautiful their distillate is. The best of the lot was the 2017 cask strength matured in 1st fill sherry. Loved the experience. Wonderful people, passionate about what they are doing and very transparent.

[@leo25337]

I liked it very much but there is no longer un-chillfiltered statement on the bottle. I wonder why that is.

[@Gwhisky]

Damn. Does that mean it's gone down the Glendronach path? Really hope that's not the case for the new line...

[@lightplays2181]

Hi Geoff ! I heave Glenglassaugh Evolution 50% abv , buy in big alkohol store in sale 17$ , people dont now what is it : ) Cheers !

[@Gwhisky]

$17? Damn, that's a great deal! 🥃

[@lightplays2181]

@@Gwhisky : )

[@greigmartin4339]

I have been side-eyeing this distillery for a few years now and glad to hear the new juice is coming of age. Not sure I have faith in BrownForman to do it justice given the way they have hobbled GlenDronach and the failure to put out anything remarkable from BenRiach over these past few years. Glassaugh I hope could join Pulteney and Oban on the coastal highland thing.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah it would be really great to see them do something special with the new line. I'll side on "cautious optimism" for now, although realistically I'm not setting my hopes too high. Cheers Greig! 🥃

[@lightplays2181]

I hope Glenglassaugh stay good distilery and make good whisky )))

[@Gwhisky]

Let's hope the new line is an improvement! 🥃

[@jackthepickledhound]

Wow, not digging this eh? I found a shop that had a case of all 3 offerings last year.and picked this one up. I didn't even know highland peat was a thing. It wasn't cheap but it is 50%. And it's a 2019 bottling. I dig it and I bought another bottle. But to be fair it's been a while and I'll sip it again tonight to be sure. IMHO the earthy peat was strong enough to cover the age and it's a huge departure from Islay. Not deep or complex, but enjoyable enough eagerly anticipate an age statement. At the same time Rex and Dan reviewed a single cask, sherry matured Glenglaaasugh that was available at Total wine. I was just getting my feet wet with sherry and the price was going to stretch my budget but I was psyched to see it as a possibility. They really like it but it was not to be for me. I think the other reason I like it was that I didn't like the peated Arran Machrie Moor. That is not a more-ish bottle. The Torfa is much more together. And Dr Rachel? How can she run 3 distilleries? Doesn't make any sense to me. But what do I know. I'm just not buying much of her whisky at this point.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah I don't think it's a bad whisky, it's just that the overall character isn't for me. It's put together well enough, and I do think it's old enough to be bottle ready. The forward casks and the earthy peat definitely do something different. Not for me, unfortunately. As for Dr. Rachel, yeah I'm sure it's a lot of work being the MB for several distilleries at once.

[@martywong822]

I had my Trofa 3-4 years ago, not impressed and not balanced. The evolution is a little bit better because it has a cleaner bourbon maturation. I can see the spirit was distilled in a very clean way (compared to dirty whisky as of Springbank). Not in the priority to re-try. Unless there is a big change in the line-up, just no for now.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah that's fair. Until the new line drops I have very little interest myself. Cheers Marty. 🥃

[@marty_sugar]

🤘🥃🌫

[@Gwhisky]

🥃🥃🥃

[@cato451]

I love Highland Park and Craigellachie!! I can’t wait to try this!! jk…Ive had it. Lol. I agree with you. It’s not that great. Glenglassaugh is not a premier single malt. I skip over it too. I’ve tried them periodically for 30 years. Never impressed. Cheers!!

[@Gwhisky]

Let's keep our fingers crossed that the new line is at least an improvement. Cheers Cato! 🥃

[@Wielki000]

Old glenglassaughs from the previous ownership can be spectacular, I’ve tasted 33, 37, and 38 year olds, but the new stuff isn’t great

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah I've heard they can be exceptional. I've never had the pleasure of trying an old Glenglassaugh. 🥃

[@justwhisky]

I feel the same way about this…meh Not something I reach for.

[@Gwhisky]

Yeah... uneventful. Cheers! 🥃

[@sdljvbnskvdsdvkjva5131]

no kidding this dram isn't great, the master mind is a wo man