Lombard Glen Keith Tasting Notes

Lombard Single Malt Glen Keith 1985 (30 year old) 41.9%

Dist: 1985 Btl: 2015/ Tasted: Nov 2015

A beautifully mature and tropical nose, with hints of green apple, gooseberry, apricot and barley. Slightly coffee’d with some lovely honey and dusty oak.

The palate is fresher and crisper with the emphasis on the white fruit, barley and mineral notes. Lightly honeyed with a more subtle oak character. Fantastically long with lingering crisp green apple and citrus. In conclusion: A lovely mature malt which skillfully blends maturity and freshness.

Carn Mor Glen Keith Tasting Notes

Carn Mor Strictly Limited Glen Keith 2013 (8 year old) 47.5%

Oloroso/ Dist: 2013 Btl: 2022/ Tasted: Feb 2022

The nose displays high toned sherried dried fruit with hints of treacle and ginger cake.

The palate is full but fresh with slightly toasty oak and dried fruit. A little edgy and spicy on the middle. Medium length, spicy, slightly tannic and dry finish although the treacle notes return.

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Glen Keith 1992 (26 year old) 55.1%

Bourbon Barrel 102371/ Dist: Aug 1992 Btl: Apr 2019/ Tasted: Jun 2019

The nose is quite light and evanescent with hints of creamy oak and citrus. Quite straightforward with a late straw and toffee note.

The palate is very toffee’d and oaky and grippy! The tannins however are pleasantly soft and there is some fleshy fruit and barley hiding beneath the oak. The fruit becomes quite oxidised in character on the middle and all that oak begins to bitter, but that brings some pleasant spices though. Medium length with a hot and citric finish but lingering chewy malt and sweet oak.

Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Glen Keith 1988 (29 year old) 42.5%

Bourbon Barrel 26895/ Dist: Oct 1988 Btl: Aug 2018/ Tasted: Aug 2018

A lovely nose of sawdusty American oak, earth, camphor, apricot, pear, barley, honey and mocha. Superb maturity with a balancing citrus and mineral freshness. With time the mature Cognac-esque dried grape and apple comes through along with an almost grainy French oak note.

The palate is quite buttery with a mature, dusty edge to the oak. Sweet apricot, apple and Clementine follow with some lightly peppery spice, apricot skin and banana. Subtly lemony and mineral on the middle and along, lovely mature Cognac-esque dried fruit finish with cinnamon, coffee, hickory and like the nose a slightly gritty French oak-like note.

Glen Keith Distillery Tasting Notes

Glen Keith Distillery Edition 40%

Tasted: April 2019

The nose is quite oaky with vanilla toffee to begin with. It settles down to show crisp, Sauvignon blanc-like grassy white fruit and a touch of estery pear, apricot and peach. It’s actually a lovely nose with late subtle wood spice, liquorice, darker toffee and oily barley.

The palate opens with plenty of rich vanilla oak and probably some added caramel. Heavier and a little dampened with a lot less of the estery fruit that could be found on the nose. Quite oily on the middle. Medium length with the oak and/ or caramel bittering slightly. After that lovely nose the palate is really disappointing.

Claxton’s Glen Keith Tasting Notes

Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ Glen Keith 1995 (22 year old) 49.2%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Dist: Nov 1995 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: Apr 2018

Mature, straw-like barley aromas with hints of apricot conserve, lime, Satsuma and a subtle raisinated back note. Good balance with a touch of gooseberry adding a fresher element.

The palate opens with the milky/ creamy oak, along with vanilla coated apricot and pineapple. Hints of straw and barley follow along with a touch of mature baked fruit. Good length with refreshing lime, gooseberry, white peach, pear and barley finish.

Claxton’s ‘The Single Cask’ Glen Keith 1994 (23 year old) 51%

Bourbon Barrel 1837-157671/ Dist: Dec 1994 Btl: Feb 2018/ Tasted: Apr 2018

The nose is harder than the 22 year old and granitier with crisp white fruit and citrus. The oak becomes very creamy and buttery, which dominates with time, but the granite note offsets. Pleasantly succulent with lime and fragrant pollen-like barley.

The palate opens with some intensely gritty oak, which is softened slightly by hints of honey and juicy white fruit. The oak continues to be the focal point and adds coffee’d tannins on the middle. There’s a real battle between the oak and the spirit going on, which is quite entertaining. Good length with honey, citrus, barley, almond, toffee and vanilla in the finish.

The Single Cask Glen Keith Tasting Notes

The Single Cask Glen Keith 1995 (20 year old) 45.8%

Cask 171225/ Dist: Nov 1995 Btl: Feb 2016/ Tasted: Nov 2017

A gorgeously mature nose of tropical apricot, pineapple and kiwi, augmented with a touch of sawdusty oak and herbal honey. Multi-layered and seriously impressive with late notes of white liquorice, pear, apple and barley.

The palate is fresh, crisp and quite citric with lime and kiwi. Lovely middle, showing mature honey and dusty/ creamy oak, along with some buzzy, bitter spice. Long with some softer spice notes appearing with hints of rose water, pear and white peach on the finish. Delightfully vibrant, floral and honeyed after-taste.

Hunter Laing Glen Keith Tasting Notes

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Keith 1996 (20 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2633/ Dist: Aug 1996 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: May 2017

Initially the nose is quite heavy on the toffee/ caramel oak, although a touch of hard barley, pine, honey and grainy dried fruit comes through.

The palate mirrors the nose with the toffee’d oak, although the caramel notes have a burnt edge and the barley is very much of the industrial persuasion. Straightforward and continuing in an oaky manor. Short, grainy finish.

Edition Spirits Glen Keith

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Glen Keith 1995 (21 year old) 53.8%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: EDI0203/ HL13122

Dist: Nov 1995 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Dec 2016

Aromas of burnt toffee, cinnamon, malt, heather and slightly hard barley. With time it becomes quite herbal with a touch of lemon and oak appearing.

The palate opens with some sugar coated, but hard barley, burnt toffee, pepper and malt. The oak dries the middle but the finish is pleasant and peppery with lingering sweeter barley and toasted oak.

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Glen Keith 1996 (21 year old) 57.2%

Refill Sherry Butt/ Code: EDI0360/ HL14985

Dist: Aug 1996 Btl: 2018/ Tasted: May 2018

The nose initially displays plenty of almost column still-like grainy dried fruit and hints of baked bread, baked cooking apple/ pear, straw, almond, frangipane and edgy spices. With time hints of gooseberry, kiwi skin adds to the overall feeling of tartness.  Very complex and unexpected.

The palate opens with a touch of toffee’d oak, furry gooseberry skin and tart, baked apple. Again the sherry cask influence is extremely subtle and only adds that column still-like dried fruit. A little masked but a pleasant almond paste, dusty barley and oak tannin finish.

Water makes it very juicy and very orangey! – Tangerine, Clementine. In fact it resembles Strahmill now! On the palate it is also very juicy with the tangerine showing a lovely granulated sugar coating. Like the nose it is simpler now and a little on the short side as the oak encroaches and takes the edge off, but in saying that, it is a delightful mouthful!

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Glen Kieth 1993 (26 year old) 56.7%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead

Code: EDI0478/ HL16784

Dist: Jan 1993 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: July 2019

Dense, herbal and malty aromas with plenty of lemon laced honeyed and sawdusty oak. Over brimming with personality, barley and subtle hints of rhubarb, white liquorice and nettles.

The palate is succulent and honeyed with vanilla and sawdusty oak. Hints of charred oak, spice and subtle herbal notes follow. Lovely tangy citric middle which balances the honey. Lovely crisp, mineral finish with lingering white fruit, pepper and white liquorice.

Even with a drop of water the nose is still very honeyed but dilution has brought out some juicy tangerine and Clementine. The oak is subtler but still wonderfully mature. The palate is even more succulent and juicy. Like the nose it is still very honeyed with a touch of crystalised tangerine. Stunning depth with a long, honeyed, barley and white fruit finish.

Hunter Laing Glen Keith Tasting Notes

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Keith 1997 (15 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2483/ Dist: May 1997 Btl: May 2015/ Tasted: Jun 2015

Bubblegummy aromas of strawberry, raspberry and green apple. Unusual to say the least with hints of barley and vanilla.

The palate is quite sweet and again bubblegummy with pear, apple and barley. Very full and long with the alcohol balancing the sweetness but the bubblegummy fruit lingers along with some sweet vanilla.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Keith 1993 (20 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2330/ Dist: Sept 1993 Btl: Nov 2013/ Tasted: Dec 2013

Light, herbal aromas with plenty of sharp lemon, barley and lightly perfumed white fruits. Initially lightly toffee’d but as the oak develops the toffee notes become more dominant and quite butter. The oak also shows a light sawdusty character with time.

The palate opens with the soft toffee and creamy oak before the barley, citrus, apricot and light spice begins to emerge. Like the nose it feels younger than its age statement with a lovely, intense lemon laden middle and a long lemony finish with a noticeable dusting of castor sugar which balances the sharpness of the citrus.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glen Keith 1995 (21 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2612/ Dist: Nov 1995 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Dec 2016

Aromatic and fragrant nose, which is also a little edgy as well. Barley, greengage, under ripe banana, barley, pepper and a developing herbal nuttiness. Quite vibrant with a late elderflower not.

The palate is citric and a little sharp with barley, honey, toffee and spice. It continues citric on the middle with a building mineral austerity. Intense, mouth-watering, herbal finish with a touch of sweet oak and honey attempting to balance.

 

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Hunter Laing Distillers Art Glen Keith 1996 (20 year old) 48%

Sherry?/ Code: ART0072/ Dist: March 1996 Btl: Aug 2016?/ Tasted: Sept 2016

The nose is grainy and malty with treacle and dark chocolate. Very herbal with developing balsamic dried and baked fruit.

The palate shows a pleasant degree of maturity with malt, baked fruit and vanilla. Not as herbal as the nose would suggest but those notes are still present. Medium length with hints of dried grass, violets and malt with a slightly drying, tannic finish.

Douglas McGibbon Glen Keith Tasting Notes

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glen Keith 1997 (15 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: PRV0978/ DMG9655

Dist: Dec 1997 Btl: Apr 2013/ Tasted: May 2013

An earthy and slightly unclean nose with baked, balsamic fruit. Hints of sugared sweets, grass/ straw and caramel.

The palate is a little on the raw side with hints of cardboard, baked fruit and musty spice. Quite drying with a bittering oak finish.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Glen keith Tasting Notes

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 81.13 ‘Toffees rolled in Ash’ 1994 (12 year old) 61.5%

Bourbon/ Dist: Feb 1994 Btl: Dec 2006/ Tasted: Sept 2007

Great nose! Full of beguiling honied citrus fruit and herbs. Very complex, showing some maturity – liquid honey, dusty spices and icing sugar coated fruits along with a touch of earthy peat. Wonderful stuff! Water emphasises the spicy vanilla and butter aromas.

The palate is soft and full of apricot fruit, liquid honey and vanilla. Lovely complexity, the orange/ tangerine fruits develop on the tongue along with the dried spices. A drop of water makes this divine! The fruit becomes wonderfully soft and there is cinnamon and dried spices by the bucketful! Lovely long finish with the soft vanilla and crème brulee notes lasting and an almost Chenin Blanc like after taste. Water brings out a touch of mineral hardness.