I really started my whisky journey, seriously going on the road towards empty wallets and overcrowded whisky shelves, back in 2018. A late start compared to many, but since then I’ve tried to discover as much as I could, try whisky from everywhere. I’ve now tried close to 2,600 different whiskies, and obviously, despite this number looking gigantic to some, and small to others, there are many things I have never tried (and maybe never will). But this also means that there is still a lot for me to discover, to try for the first time, being old or new whisky. After all, more than 260,000 whiskies are listed on Whiskybase, so with just 1% of those tried until now, I’ve barely scrapped the surface. And today, I can tick another checkbox with what seems to be my first ever two Glendullan whiskies. As it is one of the distilleries behind Diageo’s brand ’’’The Singleton’, I’m quite surprised I had never tried any before if I trust my whisky sheet and my Whiskybase account, but well, there’s a start for everything, including large distilleries! But today, no Singleton: we’ll review two independent bottlings: the Glendullan 2011 James Eadie and 2012 Signatory Vintage.
Glendullan Distillery
Glendullan distillery, located in Dufftown within the Speyside region of Scotland, was established in 1897 by William Williams, an Aberdeen blender and broker. The distillery was built relatively late compared to other Speyside distilleries and originally operated alongside a second distillery built next door in 1972. Both distilleries worked in tandem until the original plant was closed in 1985, leaving the newer facility to continue production. Over the years, Glendullan became part of larger whisky conglomerates, merging with Greenlees Brothers in 1925 and later being absorbed into The Distillers Company Limited (DCL), which eventually evolved into Diageo after the 1997 merger of Guinness plc and Grand Metropolitan. The distillery sources its water from the Conval Hill springs and operates with three wash stills and three spirit stills. With a production capacity of around 5 million litres of alcohol per year, Glendullan is one of Diageo’s largest distilleries.
Glendullan’s whisky character is noted for being lightly fruity with grassy notes, achieved through long fermentation periods using a mix of stainless steel and wooden washbacks, and slow distillation. The distillery’s output primarily contributes to blended whiskies, including the well-known Bell’s blend. However, Glendullan also produces single malt expressions, notably under Diageo’s ‘Singleton’ brand, which launched in 2007 with the Singleton of Glendullan aimed primarily at the North American market. This brand is one of three Singletons, alongside those from Glen Ord and Dufftown, each targeted at different global markets.
Regarding official releases, Glendullan’s single malt bottlings are relatively rare. The distillery has issued several official expressions, including a 12-year-old and older vintages, such as a 19-year-old Special Release from 2021. Other notable official releases include rare older bottlings like the Glendullan 22 Year Old from the Rare Malts Selection.
Glendullan 2011 James Eadie (2024) Review
This first Glendullan distillation was on the 27th of April 2011 and James Eadie bottled it in 2024, following a 21-month finish in a first-fill Amontillado sherry hogshead made from European oak (cask number 367833). This cask produced 293 bottles, filled at cask strength (55.8% ABV), without chill filtration or colouring. You can still find it in a German shop, Whiskyhort, for around €87, or at The Whisky Lodge in France for approximately €118. However, neither of these shops ships outside their respective countries.
Colour:
Deep copper.
Nose:
Neat: The nose feels quite intense, with a hint of solvent that adds some sharpness. It opens with notes of salty caramel and freshly baked honey and walnut cake, accompanied by a slice of brioche.
With water: After reduction, the nose takes on a maritime character, evoking seashells and seawater.
Palate:
Neat: The palate reveals a thick mouthfeel and a strong arrival, bursting with warm spices such as pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and saffron. Flavours of red and green apples mingle with very salty caramel and dark chocolate. You also notice old, dry walnuts and a surprising maritime note reminiscent of crushed seashells.
With water: Reduction brings out more saltiness, iodine, and seawater, alongside increased oak presence with light European oak tannins.
Finish:
The finish showcases oak in both its raw and toasted forms, lingering impressively. A salty character remains, accompanied by flavours of raw artichokes and black radish.
Comments:
The maritime note comes as a surprise, and the Amontillado cask used for the finish clearly dominates the spirit. However, it works very well, making this Glendullan 2011 from James Eadie really good. The team at James Eadie has delivered another successful sherry finish.
Rating: 7/10
Glendullan 2012 100 Proof – Edition #32 Signatory Vintage (2024) Review
Our second Glendullan underwent distillation in 2012 and matured in first-fill Oloroso sherry butts before Signatory Vintage bottled it on 29 November 2024. This release forms Edition #32 of their 100 Proof series, so Signatory Vintage bottled it at 57.1% ABV, without chill filtration or added colour. You can find it widely available for around £45 or €50.
Colour:
Tawny
Nose:
Neat: The sherry influence stands out clearly on the nose. You also detect robust wood, suggesting the involvement of European oak butts. The aroma feels intense but lacks the sharpness of the James Eadie bottling. It shows classic oloroso maturation notes, with toffee, hazelnuts, walnuts, chocolate, hints of dark fruits, and a touch of instant coffee – which, let’s admit it, usually is undrinkable.
With water: When you add water, the chocolate notes become more pronounced, accompanied by blond tobacco and some butterscotch.
Palate:
Neat: The palate reveals strong sherry flavours alongside spices, blackberries, plums, and dark chocolate, with a subtle oak presence. The palate feels very chocolatey, with a hint of instant coffee again. You also find plenty of hazelnuts and salted almonds. On subsequent sips, orange marmalade, increased pepper, and a light astringency emerge.
With water: Adding water brings out more bitter orange marmalade, a touch of salt, abundant dark chocolate, and a slight smokiness with ashy undertones.
Finish:
The finish is medium-short, featuring oak, caramel, and fudge, with a bit of chocolate and hazelnuts. After a few moments, astringency develops, drying the gums.
Comments:
This is only my second Glendullan after tasting nearly 2,600 whiskies, despite Glendullan producing 5 million litres of pure alcohol annually. Once again, the dram surprises me with some unexpected elements, particularly the light saltiness I also noticed in the James Eadie. This time, it lacks the maritime note but reveals a smoky character after adding water. It’s very enjoyable, though I found the James Eadie slightly better.