Glen Albyn 10 Year Old John McPherson Cask Strength 1960s / Whiskyteca Edoardo Giaccone

One of three closed distilleries in Inverness, Glen Albyn was rarely seen as a single malt with the majority of its output being used in blends. The distillery was one of many which closed its doors in 1983.

Distillery bottlings of Glen Albyn appeared occasionally in the 1960s and early 70s under the ownership of Charles Mackinlay, and this is an example of one of those. DCL (now Diageo) took over the distillery in 1972, and did not persevere for long with such releases. It was not until the launch of the Rare Malts Selection, 12 year after the distillery's closure, that they officially bottled it again.

This 1960s release was bottled while the license for Glen Albyn appears to have been held by Mackinlay's sister company, John E. McPherson, best known for its Cluny blend. The two company's were joined under the same umbrella when Scottish & Newcastle Breweries purchased Charles Mackinlay & Co in 1960.

Bottled at cask strength, this was specially selected for Edoardo Giaccone.

Giaccone was something of a trailblazer, and was importing specially bottled official single malts for his bar from the late 1960s, this is one of his earliest. He opened the famous venue in 1958, and it has been called a few different things over the years, including Garten, Edward & Edward, and La Taverna del Comandante.

Edoardo set the stage for later legendary bottlers such as Silvano Samaroli, Nadi Fiori and Ernesto Mainardi. Moon Import founder, Pepi Mongiardino said, "he was the first person I visited" when he became the distributor for Bruichladdich in 1981. Giaccone did not have any of his own labels or series, but was the first person in Italy to have official bottlings produced exclusively for him. Through his bar, Italy was treated to exclusive releases from Clynelish, Bowmore, Dalmore, Highland Park and even Jack Daniel's.