Glen Garioch 26 years 1990 Cadenhead's Bourbon Hogshead - One of 186 - bottled 2016 Authentic Collection (Brown)

Scotland, Highlands. Distillery operational. Owner: Beam - Suntory

The second distillery to have joined the Stanley P Morrison Ltd team (which had owned Bowmore since 1963) in 1970, Glen Garioch is a leading name in the world of collectible single malts. This renown was the work of Stanley P Morrison, who, in the late 1970s, offered its distributors outstanding limited editions, including Glen Garioch 1971, produced for Samaroli. In the same time period, an 8 year old version was also released in a stocky, brown bottle. Then, in the mid-80s, several 21 year old versions from 1965 were released in various sherry and bourbon cask bottlings, some cask strength. It would not, however, be until the arrival in 1994 of the Japanese company Suntory, who bought Morrison Bowmore, that things would really pick up, notably with the Individual Cask Bottling range and the two exceptional vintages 1968 and 1970.

A single cask of Glen Garioch distilled in 1990, aged in bourbon casks and bottled in 2016 as part of the Authentic Collection range. Cadenhead was founded in Aberdeen in 1842 by George Duncan. William Cadenhead then joined the company and, when George Duncan died in 1858, took over and renamed the business after himself. William’s nephew Roberth Duthie developed the company in the early 20th century and it remained a family business until 1969. William Cadenhead Ltd was then sold to the Springbank distillery’s owner J. & A. Mitchell and Co. Hedley G. Wright, a direct descendent of Archibald and John Mitchell, became William Cadenhead Ltd’s CEO. In the past, Cadenhead had mainly sold its own brands, such as Putachieside, The Hielanman, Seven Stars and Green Label rums. Under Hedley G. Wright, the company began to take more of an interest in single malts. This led to the creation of the legendary collection of dumpy bottles in 1977. This series of single malts stood out for its very gentle filtration, lack of artificial colouring, and relatively high bottling strength for the time (80 proof/45.7% ABV). The labels included lots of information, including the month and year of distillation and bottling, and whether or not sherry casks were used. Also in 1977, the business moved to another address in Aberdeen, and finally to Campbeltown. In the 1980s, Cadenhead sold casks to legendary bottlers such as Samaroli and Corti Brothers through the subsidiary Duthie’s. Finally, two new whisky ranges were created in 1991 and 1992, the Original Collection bottled at 46% and the Authentic Collection bottled at cask strength. Other special series to mark Cadenhead’s major anniversaries (150 and 175 years), as well as new ranges launched since (Small Batch, World Whiskies, etc.), have all contributed to the company’s ongoing history up to the present day. A limited edition of 186 bottles.