Glentauchers 1996 - 22 Year Old - Alexander Murray

A substantial but low-profile Speyside distillery producing fresh, clean, floral Speyside for its owners’ blends, Glentauchers started life with two stills in 1898 but was expanded to its current six stills in the mid-1960s. After a long period under DCL ownership Glentauchers was purchased in 1989 by Allied Distillers (now owned by Pernod Ricard) and has been a keystone malt for Ballantine’s ever since. In 2020 it was revealed that Glentauchers would be switching to biofuel with the goal of attaining carbon neutrality.

Official bottlings of Glentauchers were practically non-existent until a few years ago but are now released under the Ballantine’s Series label. Gordon & MacPhail have been the de facto official bottlers for Glentauchers for decades, with licensed bottlings appearing in the Distillery Labels range and cask strength vintage editions in the Connoisseurs Choice and Private Collection series.

Alexander Murray Co. is an independent whisky bottler based in California. The company was founded by Scotsman Steve Lipp in 2004 and named after his great uncle, who gave him his first taste of whisky and encouraged his interest. Lipp had worked in the industry in Scotland prior to establishing his company in the USA.

The majority of Alexander Murray’s bottlings are sold locally in the American market but some do turn up in Europe from time to time. The company releases its products at various strengths from 40% up to cask strength, with the emphasis on the latter in recent years. Alexander Murray Co. also bottles their own proprietary single malt lines including the Kirkland Signature range and the Monumental brand blended whiskies.