Whisky: Glenury Royal 20 Year (1984), Duncan Taylor Cask 3049

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 51.3%

Cask: Oak

Age: 20 Years (Distilled July 1984, Bottled July 2004)

Nose: Leather, caramel apples and cream, bran, canvas, burlap sacks or hessian, musty barn, papier-mâché and paste, old carnival with earth, metal, and fried dough.

Palate: Medium bodied, caramelized sugar, salt, cream, canvas and hessian, creme brûlée with lilikoi topping, kiss of fresh fruit, machine oil, mineral oil.

Finish: Long and lingering with fatty fish, cream, subtle citrus and salt.

Score: 8-9 (90)

Mental Image: Pilfered Pies in a Burlap Sack

Narrative & Notes: Canvas bags and caramel apples arrived with dusty earth, hessian, old leather, and a touch of old newspaper and paste— an old papier-mâché art project. Fried carnival foods with citrusy custard, apples, hot metal, and sun-soaked earth. Medium-bodied, the flavor profile was much the same, though creamier elements pushed toward creme brûlée with a citrusy passionfruit curd. Well-balanced and structured, old newspaper and ink turned toward machine grease and lamp oil as a dirty petroleum quality emerged from the earthier elements with hessian and old burlap sacks. The finish was long, with creamier elements turning toward fatty meats, salt, and a touch of citrus.

Showcasing a beautiful, fruity, malty, and dirty character, this Glenury Royal was old school and a touch raw. I found it vaguely nostalgic at times— something like grabbing funnel cakes and fried delights at a summer fair and sitting on a patch of dried grass to enjoy the bounty. The paper and glue elements, which were stronger on the nose, and a bit more like petrol or a motor garage on the palate, reminded me of making papier-mâché pumpkins in middle school.

Overall, a special dram for a special occasion. Only my third encounter with Glenury Royal— though this time I had more than just a single bar pour to enjoy. The wife was less enthused, she found the whisky rather perfumy and gave it a solid, yet not spectacular, 3/5 stars.