Lady of The Glen Glen Grant Tasting Notes

Lady of the Glen Glen Grant 1998 (22 year old) 55.1%

Refill Sherry Butt 13212/ Dist: Jun 1998 Btl: Oct 2020/ Tasted: Nov 2020

Classic aromas of taught barley, minerals and Cognac-esque dried apple. Subtle spicy dried fruit, almond paste, oily apricot, greengage appear. It has a slight alcohol prickle but that just emphasises the herbal character and green fruit.

The palate opens with brandy butter and darker, maltier, oxidised apple and hints of spice. Lovely creamy dried fruit follows along with raisin, cinnamon and sweet pepper. It continues to unflod, showing taught barley, toffee, minerals, greengage and herbal/ grassy notes. Long, lightly coffee’d with walnut shell and lingering sherry notes. Stunning Stuff!

Lady of the Glen Rare Cask Glen Grant 1998 (23 year old) 50.4%

Cask: 9711/ 22.5 years in refill Sherry Butt/ 6 month finish in ex- Oloroso Hogshead

Dist: Jan 1998 Btl: Apr 2021/ Tasted: Sept 2021

The nose shows an intensity of winey black fruit (almost wine cask finished) along with toasty vanilla and sweet red cherry. It’s almost fizzy with a touch of lime soda? Weird! Given time it does settle down to show toasted raisin, prune, walnut shell and coffee. Apparently it was finished in a very active Oloroso hoggy – No kidding! It’s pretty much obliterated any spirit character.

The palate displays black cola sweets, raisin, dried plum and subtle toasty oak. Again the sherry is soft, sweet and blanketing. Medium length, slightly tannic but spicy finish with lingering dark coffee, oxidised and raisinated fruit. Very disappointing!

Carn Mor Glen Grant Tasting Notes

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Glen Grant 1996 (20 year old) 55.3%

Bourbon Hogshead 67820/ Dist: Apr 1996 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2017

The nose is quite fragrant with barley, sweet heather, rose Turkish delight, grass, white pepper and sweet oak. It shows a pleasant degree of mature duty oak but the intense mineral, edgy freshness keeps it in check. Lovely depth and elegance with late developing dry nuttiness.

The palate is full and barley’d, followed by a dry burst of dusty oak and cereal husks. A subtle, lightly perfumed honey note balances and it becomes darker on the middle as the malt kicks in, along with gentle but lively spices, minerals and toasty ‘Bourbony’ oak. Long, mouth-watering citrus (lime, grapefruit) finish with a lovely tongue tingling spiciness.

A drop of water makes the nose more citric and vibrant, with less oak influence. The same happens to the palate, although the citrus notes have a lovely sweet sheen. A little more malty and subtly nutty on the finish now.

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Glen Grant 1992 (25 year old) 48.2%

Refill Bourbon Barrel 130829/ Dist: Oct 1992 Btl: Mar 2018/ Tasted: Mar 2018

Classic, mature Spey aromas, oozing tropical melon, apricot and gorgeously sawdusty oak. Hints of lime, green apple, minerals and sweet barley appear. Elegant and deep with a lovely silky oak character.

The palate opens with dusty oak and vanilla butter. A touch of sharp citrus balances and allows the delicious pear, apple and melon notes to come through. Subtle straw-like barley on the middle, along with a touch of coffee’d tannin. Long, grippy finish with lingering mellow honey. Gorgeous stuff!

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Glen Grant 1992 (27 year old) 47.3%

Bourbon Barrel 130834/ Dist: Oct 1992 Btl: Jan 2019/ Tasted: Apr 2019

A tight and herbal nose with buckets of luscious, mature American oak and hints of gooseberry, barley, lime and apricot. Classically structured with a good maltiness and slightly oily and coffee’d.

The palate is elegant, tight and upright with juicy barley, malt, citrus, greengage and lime. Like the nose it has a superb tannic structure with a touch of wood spice and earth coming through on the middle along with some subtle tropical fruit notes. Long, malty and citric with lingering chocolate, straw, coffee and barley.

Speciality Drinks Glen Grant Tasting Notes

Speciality Drinks ‘Single Malts of Scotland’ Glen Grant 1992 (22 year old) 57.8%

Bourbon Cask 35936/ Dist: 1992 Btl: March 2014/ Tasted: July 2014

Nose: Pungent, earthy and manure with hints of violet, tobacco and rye-like herbal spices. Very young with dark, edgy grains exploding all over the place! There’s some light oak and smoke in the background and a touch of orange with time. Dilution makes it subtler, emphasising the oils and brings out hints of beeswax.

Palate: Surprisingly soft given the abv. Hints of orange, earth, tobacco, coffee and manure appear. Subtler than the nose but the oils and herbal notes build. A little simple but rounder when diluted with the emphasis on the coffee and dark grains.

Finish: A little raw and hot with an oily finish. Water softens and emphasises the bitter oak.

Glen Grant Distillery Bottlings Tasting Notes

Glen Grant 10 year old 40%

Tasted: Dec 2013

A grassy and herbal nose with under ripe banana, kiwi, gooseberry, thyme and mint. Magnificent intensity with developing green Apple, taught oak, herbal honey.

The palate is fresh and herbal with lightly creamy oak mingling with green Apple, gooseberry. The caramels thicken and develop but some citrus and barley counteracts. Wonderfully juicy and lightly spiced. Long and mouth-watering with the green fruit and winey notes lingering.

Glen Grant 16 year old 43%

Tasted: Dec 2013

A hard and industrial with plenty of cardboard, sugar coated citrus and grubby peat.

The palate is murky and hard with burnt caramel, earth and late creamy oak. Short and hard. In conclusion: This isn’t going to win any awards! [tasted blind]

Edition Spirits Glen Grant Tasting Notes

The First Edition Glen Grant 1994 (19 year old) 55.5%

Bourbon/ Code: EDI0033/ Dist: 1994 Btl: Feb 2014/ Tasted: Mar 2014

A beautifully elegant and deep nose of herbal honey, liberally sprinkled with icing sugar, followed by wonderfully crisp, honeyed citrus infused tropical fruit and sawdusty oak. With time a darker maltier note appears along with a wisp of smoke.

The palate is light and elegant, again very citric with dusty oak, sweet herbal honey and what appears to be quite a bit of salt. Poised and deep with the fruit displaying that lovely aged tropical demeanour. Good length with a balanced dry/ oily, nutty finish and a dusty spice after-taste. In conlusion it’s a lovely old Glen Grant.

Hunter Laing Glen Grant Tasting Notes

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Grant 1995 (18 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2307/ HL9920

Dist: Apr 1995 Btl: Aug 2013/ Tasted: Nov 2013

A robust and malty nose. Quite straw-like with hints of bruised apple, apricot and lightly mentholated herbs. Lightly oaked with a developing citrus character.

The palate opens with a fair amount of lightly oiled toffee oak. A touch of citrus attempts to come through on the middle. Reasonable length with the malt and citrus finally making inroads into the oak. Pleasant herbal after-taste.

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glen Grant 2004 (10 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: HEP0016/ Dist: Mar 2004 Btl: Mar 2014/ Tasted: Apr 2014

A pleasant, fresh and grassy nose. Quite fruity as well with peach, pear and Sauvignon Blanc-esque white fruits. Very estery with hints of pineapple, banana and a touch of sweet spice, heather and vanilla oak.

The palate is soft and a little petilant with crisp, grassy white fruit, pear, peach and pineapple. Good intensity and lovely spicy middle. Fresh, mineral finish with a lightly herbal after-taste.

Mackillop’s Choice Glen Grant Tasting Notes

Mackillop’s Choice Glen Grant 1990 (21 year old) 56.1%

Bourbon Cask 23169/ Dist: 1990 Btl: April 2010/Tasted: Aug 2012

Mature and nutty aromas with hints of earth and quite a lot of peat for a Glen Grant. Edgy and a bit raw, this definitely a rough ‘un! The alcohol is adding to the pungency and with time some old oak vanillins emerge.

The palate is intense, earthy and nutty with liquorice, nut kernel, malt, treacle and more malt! Very alcoholic and the mouth waters uncontrollably due to the pummelling of the alcohol. Still a bit on the raw side, but it feels like there is some juicy fruit trapped beneath.

With water the nose is gentler and spicier and thankfully that orange fruit has been released, and my it’s molten and luscious with a beautiful fragrance and a pleasant maturity. Still quite earthy, nutty and although shall we say lacking elegance I love it’s edginess. The palate is oilier and nuttier and definitely showing some age now. Still quite earthy but it has a delightful light, perfumed orange blossom character with a touch of violets. Gentle and mature with some old oak tannins, malt, treacle and liquorice. Again still a little rough at the edges but it has a lovely depth and gentleness.

Mackillop’s Choice Glen Grant 1989 (27 year old) 51.7%

Bourbon Cask 23046/ Dist: Oct 1989 Btl: Sept 2017/ Tasted: Nov 2017

A classic old Glent Grant nose of mature, duty oak and violety incense. Taught oak and spice emerge but that’s balanced by the baked apple, prune, sultana and subtle treacle notes.

Mature and mellow on the palate with subtle, mature honey and taught, grainy oak tannins. Luscious baked fruit, incense and woody spice follow. Exquisitely deep and multi-layered and exceptionally long with lingering almond paste, sweet violety spices, prune, apricot and sweet vanilla. Stunning!

 Mackillop’s Choice Glen Grant 1973 (39 year old) 52.6%

Sherry Cask 6582/ Dist: Jul 1973 Btl: Mar 2013/ Tasted: Apr 2013

What a nose! Thick slabs of moist, dusty spice laden sherry wood. Sublimely delicate with a Cognac-esque dried fruit rancio. Lightly nutty with treacle, violets, gentle smoke and a smidge of herbs, green fruit and macerated dark orange. Beautifully weighted and poised.

Treacle coated, lightly herbal sherry glides over the tongue, punctuated by hints of green fruit, demerara sugar, moist fruitcake and duty spices. Faultlessly clean with the malty walnuts and date notes building. Beautifully mature dried grape, sultana and orange rind follow along with some marzipan moments and crumbly spices to die for! Breathtaking balance, vibrancy and maturity. So moist and gently spiced with a light coffee and crystallised violet finish. A damn fine old Speysider!

Douglas McGibbon Glen Grant Tasting Notes

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glen Grant 2003 (8 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Barrel/ Code: PRV0733/ DMG7611

Dist June 2003 Btl: Nov 2011/ Tasted: Nov 2011

A very sweet nose of pure icing sugar coated apple which boarders on over confected to the point of overkill. Then add in the floral note and it’s just like a sweet shop!

The palate pretty much mirrors the nose in its OTT confectionery style with some orange, apricot and vanilla. Good length with some (surprise!) sweet spices. Pleasant if you like it a bit on the saccharine side!

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glen Grant 1998 (12 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV0723/ DMG6549

Dist Sept 1998 Btl: Dec 2011/ Tasted: Dec 2011

I would suspect that quite an early cut was taken here as the nose is quite foreshoty – Linseed oil putty and oily fudge. Somewhere beneath all of that there is some floral spirit and juicy barley but that putty note is making feel a bit too industrial for my liking.

The palate, thankfully, is a lot fresher, with less of the putty, thank you very much! Although that doesn’t mean it has completely gone as is a touch of burnt caramel. Hmm, lovely! In saying that the spirit has some botanical, citrus and a crisp gristy middle and a reasonable length with a hint of nascent honey and spice.

Single Malts Direct Glen Grant Tasting Notes

Single Malts Direct ‘Whiskies of Scotland’ Glen Grant 1972 (39 year old) 48.7%

Sherry/ Dist: 1972 Btl: 2011/ Tasted: July 2011

A big, first-fill Oloroso nose. Wonderfully mature with earth, raisin and crumbly spice notes. Some gorgeous orange fruit emerges with time. Dilution makes it a touch more floral.

The palate has plenty of rich, sherried fruit and tannins. Slightly one dimensional but a good depth. Water emphasises that simplicity. A good peppery finish. The combination of tannins and alcohol makes it a tad drying. In conclusion: A pleasant enough sherry malt, a bit one dimensional on the palate, the addition of water doesn’t help much!

James MacArthur Glen Grant Tasting Notes

James MacArthur ‘Old Masters Cask Strength Selection’ Glen Grant 1992 (19 year old) 59.4%

Bourbon Cask 35955/ Dist: 1992 Btl: 2011/ Tasted: Sept 2011

The nose opens with some beautiful floral honey. Said honey has a lovely brittle, crunchy and edgy character, showing a touch of maturity. Some high toned botanical spirit notes appear along with some late creamy oak and earthy nuances.

Wonderfully soft and fruity – crushed apricots and a touch of orange along with some straw, earth, brittle honey and sweet malt. The middle is very earthy with hints of white flowers and cream. Lovely length with the sweetness carrying right through to the death, where it finishes with a Sauvignon-esque, cut grass after taste.

With water the nose becomes fresher and grassier. It seems younger now, with the creamy oak more prevalent, adding a touch of toffee. The palate is soft and unctuous, with the malt and barley now coming to the fore. Very full, wonderfully soft and polished. Great length.