1980 Glenlochy 31 Year Old K&L Signatory Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml

I've maybe glossed over a mention of Glenlochy in the Malt Yearbook or one of Michael Jackson's books, but it has never had a form or context for me. It has not been on our radar because it is absolutely one of the rarest single malts on the market today. Purchased by DCL (the company that would become Diageo) in 1953, Glenlochy is one of these distilleries that met its demise during the whisky slump of the early '80s. It had only one wash still and one spirits still. That is to say, they made very little whisky. This is the only bottle of Glenlochy currently available in the US market. It also happens to be the sister cask to the incredibly acclaimed 31 year old Glenlochy that was recently rated 92 points by Serge Valentine of Whiskyfun.com. I cannot express how outrageously complex this whisky is. The range of flavors is unfathomable. This thing is absolutely packed up. It's like unraveling a giant ball of yarn. We start on the almond, nougat, exotic wood, all savory and powerful. Subtlety shifting into the herbal and fruit aromas, this nose is like a chameleon, at once beautifully exotic and powerfully brooding. On the palate, fabulously rich in texture, the whisky is like a ball of plasma oscillating through multiple states of being. It leaves you smiling and exhausted. Seriously, this is one of a kind. (David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer)