🥃 Stinkyburn Glen - is this Glenkinchie?

Oftentimes, folk tell me I need to get out more. Sometimes, I even tell myself that. Especially after spending an hour or so analysing bottle closures.

These days, such a thrilling pastime has no place on the big social media platforms. Did it ever? I wonder. But this is the nerdy, nitty-gritty that makes this Whisky Through Time content what it is and, hopefully, something that you appreciate.

As some of you know, I’m often on the search for a variety of vintage, sometimes obscure, blended Scotch whiskies, either for tastings or for the Leith Whisky Trail tours. And recently, I came across this lot at a small auction in the Cotswolds:

Image Credit: Cotswold Auction Company

The lot description stated that the contents of the bottles could possibly be whisky. Yes, true. But they could also possibly be cold tea. Or even possibly pish. And, to be honest, looking at the state of the bottles, a blend of all three isn’t out of the realms of possibility, is it?

Anyway, there were a couple of bottles in this lot which caught my eye...

One of which is the brilliantly self-labelled Stinkyburn Glen 2003. It’s the only one that the owner had taken the trouble to identify.

Now, it’s undeniably a great name for a whisky – I’d buy a bottle, for sure. Although not this particular bottle, given the rather dubious looking closure. It never ceases to amaze me how establishments can be allowed to sell things like this. Sold as seen is the key phrase. But maybe not for long... if the contents turn you blind.

In a similar vein to last week’s email on Septimus Parsonage, I defy anyone not to want to find out more about this name – and, therefore, a whisky supposedly hailing from a place known (to someone at least) as Stinkyburn Glen.

Initial thoughts took me to Elgin. The shape of this bottle reminded me of that of Glen Moray.

But none of my searches in the newspaper archives, or elsewhere online, pointed me in the direction of a stinky burn in the vicinity.

There are, however, a number of other Stinky Burns around Scotland and one, in particular, in Mid Calder. This isn’t far from Starlaw (sometimes called Glen Turner) Distillery, owned by French company La Martiniquaise, who also own Glen Moray Distillery. But Starlaw wasn’t built until 2010.

And so, the pieces of the puzzle just weren’t fitting together.

Then, last Friday, I found myself at a distillery to attend the launch of its new 30 year old release. This isn’t usual; I’m rarely invited to launches. Which, for the avoidance of doubt, suits me just fine. But this launch was organised by my pal, John, and it was a privilege to be able to support his hard work.

If you’d like to learn more about what this distillery was doing back in 1995, when the spirit behind this release was first distilled, consider upgrading to receive tomorrow’s follow-up email.

Now, whilst at the distillery that evening, a number of older bottlings had become unexpectedly available. Apparently, these bottles had been found in a warehouse (in Deptford, if I remember correctly) and as they contained whisky distilled in the 1980s and 1990s, the distillery team had acquired them tout de suite.

Looking at these bottles, the shape did look familiar. And then something else came to mind. Or moreover, someone...

.

..my pal, Rich. We’ll call him Rich because, well, that’s his name. And Rich never says the name of this distillery correctly. Not because he doesn’t know how to pronounce it. Moreover, because he thinks his version is funnier. Which it is, to be fair.

Rich always refers to this distillery, located in Pentcaitland, as Glen Kinky.

Now, the distillery itself was named after the water source that fed it: the Kinchie Burn. Or, if you're my pal Rich, the Kinky Burn. But don’t Google that unless you’re prepared to do a lot of explaining afterwards.

Now, Kinky Burn rhymes with Stinky Burn so...

... could Stinkyburn Glen 2003 actually be from Glenkinchie Distillery?

The similarity in bottle shape doesn’t look as convincing here but I think it’s due to the slightly different angles at which each photo was taken.

Which is where the dubious looking closure, mentioned at the start of this email, comes into play...

It’s not easy to spot on the photo but looking closely, on the top of the cork, I’m sure I can make out the letter G. Or am I seeing things?

So, a quick email to the auction house, to request a better quality image, and... zilch. No reply (well, not yet anyway).

My initial thoughts were that this letter G forms part of the GK logo seen on some Glenkinchie bottles.

But this logo doesn’t seem to appear on bottles until after 2003.

A shout-out on social media ensued, to ask if anyone who had opened bottles of old school Glenkinchie could send me a photo of the cork. And this is essentially what folk sent:

Image Credit: John Blyth

Ahem. A completely different cork. So, now I’m stumped. What do you think? Do you reckon this could be a bottling of Glenkinchie? Or something else entirely different?

If you have any insights at all as to what the contents might be, just give me a shout (by hitting reply) and we’ll aim to get to the bottom of this. But not the bottle, of course. You’d be an absolute daftie to drink this.

Slàinte! Justine

P.S the above mentioned lot fetched £420 at auction. Words fail me.