Auchentoshan 14 Year Old Cooper's Reserve

Aged 14 years in all the right ways.

Antique records from the year 1800 mention an illegal Duntocher distillery, which may have been a predecessor to the legal Auchentoshan distillery. A license for distillation was obtained in 1823. It is the only Scottish distillery left employing a true full-time third distillation. This makes for a sweeter and more delicate Scotch, which is unique. The Distillery is located near Glasgow (that's why it's also known as Glasgow's Malt Whisky) in the Lowland region of Scotland.

The fun of Whisky is in the differences. If you have not yet tried Auchentoshan, where have you been? They have been making premium Lowland Scotch Whisky for more than 200 years, and they have a few Glasgow tricks up their kilts. Three tricks, to be precise, as in triple distillation. Triple-D is rather rare, making for a clearer spirit that pops into the aging barrels at a whopping 162 proof (81% ABV). That’s single-malt-rocket fuel if you ask me.

But the high test spirit is a bit better at extracting the essential oils in the ex-bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks over the 14-year aging period used on the Cooper’s Reserve. Yep … I said fourteen years. And unlike most Lowlanders, the nice folks at Auchentoshan do not peat their malt. The combination of triple distillation and a gentler roasting of the malt makes the entire collection a bit sweeter and delicate in profile.

The Auchentoshan Cooper’s Reserve 14 YO is a limited edition normally reserved for Duty Free shops and the like, making it almost impossible to get at home. Best snap some up now before they figure out what we’re doing.

SmartAss Corner:
Auchentoshan was bombed during the Second World War, however the distillery struggled on with production. One bomb crater is now a pond, from which the water to cool the spirit is taken.