Glenglassaugh Torfa

Score: 69

Glenglassaugh Torfa made a bold impression in its initial club tasting, storming to first place with its distinctive coastal peat and vibrant fruit profile. Bottled at 50% ABV and matured in ex-bourbon barrels, it’s a youthful, smoky Highland malt that defies expectations, sweet melon, pineapple, and roasted apples wrapped in sooty campfire smoke and sea air. It was a refreshing curveball in a lineup of sherried heavyweights, and its expressive character won the room. But in the 2023 Champion of Champions, Torfa placed fifth. Not a fall from grace, but a recalibration. Among a field of more mature, layered drams, Torfa’s youthful punch and peated charm felt less commanding. Its coastal vibrancy and sweet smoke still stood out, but the lack of deeper complexity and age held it back from the top tier. It’s still a club favorite, just not the final boss in a lineup of legends.