Highland Laird Glengoyne Tasting Notes

Highland Laird Glengoyne 2000 (13 year old) 52.1%

Bottled by Bartles Rawlings International Ltd

Single Sherry Cask/ Dist: 2000 Btl: 2013/ Tasted: Oct 2014

The nose is very coffee’d and grainy with plenty of grippy tannins and some oily spirit notes. There is a faint cardboard note which lurks beneath the raisinated Oloroso. With time some butter cream and vanilla notes appear.

The palate is very coffee’d with dried sherry fruit and vanilla cream. Soft, straightforward but mouth-filling with some pleasant grainy spices. Good length with the spices increasing in intensity along with a touch of prune, wood smoke and liquorice. However the tannins do dry out the finish quite a bit.

With water it becomes simpler and subtler and a little homogenous to be honest.

Edition Spirits Glengoyne Tasting Notes

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Glengoyne 1996 (20 year old) 60.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: EDI0191/ HL12825

Dist: Apr 1996 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Nov 2016

20 years old and over 60% abv? Now that’s impressive! And I have to say, so is the nose. It shows plenty of creamy oak and barley with banana, apricot and a a not too intrusive balsamic note. Intense and tight with dried grass, gooseberry, honey, green apple and cinnamon.

The palate is intense but it doesn’t seem like it’s over 60%. Barley, dried grass, apricot and vanilla oak open the proceedings an there’s not an off note or industrial note anywhere to be seen! Slightly spicy middle with the finish being a little masked but tongue tingling with returning vanilla oak.

Water softens the nose and emphaiosies the tight grained oak and barley. Still quite fruity (not something you ofter say about American oak aged ‘goyne) with a light ferny herbaceousness. The palate is a little more honeyed and now showing toasted cereal and bitter coffee. Very long and a little drying, but pretty impressive.

Edition Spirits ‘The First Editions’ Glengoyne 1995 (21 year old) 55.9%

Refill Bourbon Barrel/ Code: EDI0219/ HL13308

Dist: Jun 1995 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2017

The aromas are quite dense and straw-like with barley, white fruit, honeysuckle and malt. Pleasantly aromatic and lacking the usual ‘hardness’. With time a touch of summer fruit and creamy/ buttery oak appears.

The palate is dense, rich and honeyed with star, apricot and barley. Subtle but creamy oak comes through on the middle and the finish is quite mineral with flecks of sweet barley and honeysuckle nuances. Light wood smoke on the after-taste. For an American oak aged ‘goyne, it’s pretty impressive!

With water the nose becomes more citrus focused, fresher and mineral. The palate shows more of the creamy oak and less of the citrus. It’s rounder now but less complex, so I wouldn’t bother diluting it.

Berry Brothers Glengoyne Tasting Notes

Berry Bros & Rudd ‘Berrys’ Glengoyne 2000 (13 year old) 46%

First Fill Sherry Cask 1073/ Dist: 2000 Btl: 2014/ Tasted: July 2015

Lovely aromas of intense, dusty, gristy barley with hints of floral honey, perfumed apricot, herbs, earth and a touch of toffee. Superbly fresh and vibrant with a classic Highland minerality.

The palate is fuller than the nose, which is down to the abundance of uber soft honey that coats the palate. Densely fruity with hints of malt biscuits, breakfast cereal, minerals and late vanilla. Very long and very honeyed with hints of coffee, herbs and minerals in the finish. In conclusion: Now that’s what I call a breakfast malt. I think I’ll have it with my honey nut cornflakes! [tasted blind – apparently this was a first fill sherry cask but buggered if I could find any sherry character!]

Berry Bros & Rudd ‘Berrys’ Glengoyne 2000 (13 year old) 46%

First Fill Sherry Cask 1074/ Dist: 2000 Btl: 2014/ Tasted: June 2016

Moist, juicy, orange marmalade coated fruit cake with hints of guava, melon and apricot on the nose. Beautifully fragrant with creamy oak, barley, lime and earth. With time hints of treacle and warm wood spices.

Succulent, spice laden fruitcake on the palate, followed by vanilla, barley, melon and honey. Beautifully deep and complex with a very granity/ citric middle. Long, juicy and granity – A classic Highland finish!

Hunter Laing Glengoyne Tasting Notes

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glengoyne 2007 (12 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2891/ Dist: Apr 2007 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Jun 2019

The nose is actually quite neutral with hints of burnt rubber, barley and grainy dried fruit. Chunky oak gives it a foursquare feeling.

The palate is cleaner and displays more creamy and sweeter oak. There is more barley character as well but it’s still pretty simple and still slightly industrial. Medium length with citrus, raw spirit, dried fruit and industrial barley in the finish.

Hunter Laing Old Malt Cask Glengoyne 1997 (16 year old) 50%

Bourbon/ Code: OMC2357/ Dist: Sept 1997 Btl: Feb 2014/ Tasted: Mar 2014

The nose is a bit industrial with (murky) spice, boiled sweets and hints of citrus and burnt caramel.

The palate opens with toasted caramel, which is not quite as burnt as the nose, but it is still fairly industrial in character. Hints of citrus and barley on the middle. The finish is a little short and hot with a botanical finish.

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

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2635/ HL13266

Dist: Dec 1995 Btl: Feb 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2017

Aromas of hard barley, more hard barley and even more hard barley. There is a touch of sweet orange and coffee, but there’s no escaping the distillery character here!

The palate is a little softer with some creamy oak input, however the hard barley is omnipresent! Shirt and a little hot with a dry barley after-taste.

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glengoyne 2007 (7 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: HEP0040/ Dist: Jun 2007 Btl: June 2014/ Tasted: July 2014

A straw-like nose of white fruit and dried grass. Crisply citrus with hints of sweet barley and vanilla. A hint of white vinegar emerges and becomes rather invasive.

The palate shows some youthful marc-like notes along with straw-like white fruit, rose petals, hard barley and a light coffee note. A little short and tart with a light industrial character.

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glengoyne 2007 (7 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: HEP0072/ Dist: Mar 2007 Btl: 2014/ Tasted: Mar 2016

Surprisingly sweet and barley’d on the nose with some pleasant white fruit, citrus, white pepper and grapefruit. Where is the usual industrial hardness?

Again the palate is quite sweet and barley’d with hints of toffee’d oak. Again no hardness or industrial murkiness!. Full and fruity with apricot and an almost estery banana and melon! A very subtle industrial note comes through on the finish, but I can forgive it that! 

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glengoyne 2008 (8 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: HEP0250/ Dist: Jun 2008 Btl: 2017/ Tasted: Mar 2017

The nose is a little subdued but barley’d with a light, perfumed apricot edge. Hints of sweet apricot appear along with lightly bitter spice – clove and cinnamon. A little edgy as ‘goyne can be with a touch of green apple.

The palate is supple and barley’d with apricot, green apple, pear and malt. Good, refreshing citrus burst on the middle and quite vibrantly mineral as well. Remaining minerally on the finish with some balancing sweet barley, pepper and light, herbal spice. Surprisingly pleasant!

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glengoyne 2008 (8 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: HEP0214/ Dist: Jun 2008 Btl: 2016/ Tasted: Feb 2018

The nose is a little hard and cereally with a subtle feintiness. Lightly oiled with developing white fruit, apricot and lemon.

The palate is slightly oily and feinty with some balancing sweet barley, apricot and white fruit. Lightly honeyed and mineral middle. Long, sweet fruit finish with a touch of spice and liquorice.

Hunter Laing Hepburns Choice Glengoyne 2008 (10 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: HEP0375/ Dist: May 2008 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Jun 2019

A typical ‘goyne nose of hard, industrial barley and ascetic notes with gooseberry, lemon and toffee.

The palate shows a touch more oak but it’s still quite ascetic and citric. Hints of green, under ripe berries, gooseberry on the middle. Medium length with lingering hard barley.

 

Hunter Laing Distillers Art Glengoyne 1996 (19 year old) 48%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: ART0044/ Dist: Nov 1996 Btl: Jan 2016/ Tasted: Feb 2016

The usual industrial aromas and hard barley notes that one expects from American oak aged ‘goyne! Hints of damp spice, citrus and creamy oak. With time the barley sweetens a little.

The palate is dominated by the buttery, toffee’d oak but that hard barley note can still be felt! Medium length, citric and barley’d with dusty, milk chocolate powder finish.

Douglas McGibbon Glengoyne Tasting Notes

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glengoyne 2007 (7 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1134/ DMG10566

Dist: Mar 2007 Btl: Oct 2014/ Tasted: Jan 2015

The nose is faintly industrial, which is often the case with American oak aged Glengoyne. There are hints of malt, herbs, white liquorice and toffee.

The palate opens with the toffee fudge oak and hard barley. Again a little feinty but some honey and juicy fruit comes through. It’s actually sort of appealing in a rough but smooth kind of way. Good length with an orange zest finish.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glengoyne 2007 (7 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1134/ DMG10566

Dist: Mar 2007 Btl: Oct 2014/ Re-Tasted: Jun 2015

A little feinty and hard with toasted biscuits and cereal. Oily and slightly cardboardy with hints of earth.

The palate shows some softer barley and cereal with a touch of apricot and citrus. Medium length with the youthful oily notes lingering along with the citrus and barley.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glengoyne 1998 (12 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV0725/ DMG6859

Dist Sept 1998 Btl: Nov 2010/ Tasted: Nov 2011

A fresh and fruity nose. Slightly tropical with melon and banana aromas being particularly prominent. Slightly gristy with a touch of oak.

The palate opens with the tart citrus followed by some lovely, soft vanilla and white chocolate. On the middle some sweet, gristy barley puts in an appearance and finishes with a return of the granity, sharp citrus with a sprinkling of salt. All in all quite pleasant.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glengoyne 1999 (12 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV0765/ DMG7962

Dist Dec 1999 Btl: Nov 2011/ Tasted: Jan 2012

A rather murky and industrial nose. Oily cereal and burnt caramel along with a slight dried grass note.

The palate is not quite as industrial as the nose would lead you to believe, but it’s still rather hard going. Citrus, grass, a touch of creamy oak and a slightly spiced finish.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glengoyne 1999 (12 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV0958/ DMG9282

Dist: Dec 1999 Btl: Sept 2012/ Tasted: Jan 2013

A fresh and lightly grassy nose with hints of caramel and lightly toasted barley.

The palate is soft an lightly oiled with hints of fudge, malt and barley. Relatively straightforward but pleasant with the barley note lingering.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glengoyne 1999 (13 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV0972/ DMG9517

Dist: Dec 1999 Btl: Mar 2013/ Tasted: Apr 2013

Sharp citrus and herbal aromas greet the nose as do plenty of stony, granity notes. Still quite young with just a suggestion of rose petal marc, but very peppery. Actually its quite pleasant for a Bourbon aged Glengoyne!

The palate begins like the nose, very citric and mineral. Some sweet barley and malt add body. Pleasantly spicy on the middle, filling out rather well with a liquor like Seville orange character emerging. The sweetness moves into an almost icing sugar like demeanour, but the minerality and citrus notes, to a certain extent balances but it still finishes rather sweetly.

Douglas McGibbon Provenance Glengoyne 1997 (15 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1016/ DMG9880

Dist: Sept 1997 Btl: July 2013/ Tasted: Aug 2013

The aromas are a little on the industrial side and quite granity with hints of straw-like white fruit, toffee, petrol and manure.

The palate displays a fair amount of carameled and toffee’d oak but the spirit is quite hard and unyieldingly granity. Reasonable length with hints of white liquorice, white radish and light spice.

Douglas Laing Glengoyne Tasting Notes

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glengoyne 2005 (14 year old) 48.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0808/ DL13540

Dist: Aug 2005 Btl: Sept 2019/ Tasted: Nov 2019

Hard and slightly vinegary aromas of astringent white fruit and plenty of cracked black pepper. Hints of oily barley and oily vanilla appear and some sweeter barley notes with time.

The palate opens with slightly industrial barley and burnt toffee. Quite stringent and edgy and the burnt toffee note continues throughout. Hard, sharp, ascetic finish with dusty, drying barley finish. Yes, it’s the usual stuff from ‘goyne!

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glengoyne 1997 (17 year old) 48.4%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0188/ DL10697

Dist: Sept 1997 Btl: Feb 2015/ Tasted: Apr 2015

Clean and slightly floral aromas of baked apple, green citrus, heather, rosemary and some light, buttery oak notes. With time it becomes a little soapy with some hard barley appearing.

The palate opens with juicy apple and apricot followed by some sugars and a touch of cardboard spice, but some sweet barley offsets. Hints of baked fruit and malt appear on the middle along with a touch of ginger and cocoa on the finish. I must say it’s probably the best American oak aged Glengoyne I’ve tasted in a while as it has plenty of sweetness to balance its ‘distillery character’.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glengoyne 1996 (20 year old) 51.5%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0331/ DL11212

Dist: Apr 1996 Btl: Jun 2016/ Tasted: Oct 2016

For an American oak aged ‘goyne, that’s a pleasant nose. It opens with plenty of aromatic vanilla oak with just a hint of hard barley. Some granulated sugar notes sweeten the barley and a touch of fleshy apricot and banana appears. With time the oak begins to show a more mature character and a touch of dusty spice can be detected.

The palate show a little more of the hard barley but the sugars and the oak balance. Hints of apricot and orange come through on the middle and the finish displays plenty of citrus and mineral notes along with the vanilla oak. In fact the finish is quite vibrant. It’s possibly the best American oak aged ‘goyne I’ve tasted in ages!

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glengoyne 1996 (20 year old) 51.5%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0415/ DL11212

Dist: Apr 1996 Btl: Jun 2016/ Tasted: Oct 2017

Slightly earthy nose with hints of baked apple, subtle spice and coffee. Slightly edgy, but it’s relatively well contained. Touch of apricot, lime, sweet-ish barley and oak with time.

The palate is milky and vanilla’d with hints of granulated sugar, barley and lime. Again the edginess is contained. Good depth and very mineral finish with lingering sweet barley.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glengoyne 1996 (21 year old) 49.5%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0570/ DL12388

Dist: Dec 1996 Btl: Feb 2018/ Tasted: Mar 2018

Old grappa-like aromas with sweet barley, mature honey, cereal, coffee and hints of vanilla oak. Slightly edgy but the sweetness balances.

The palate displays cereal, barley, malt and hints of coffee’d and toffee’d oak. Again a little edgy, like American oaked ‘goyne can be, but the toffee mitigates to a certain extent. Crisp, citric finish with hints of lime, Sauvignon Blanc-esque grasss, apricot and apple.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glengoyne 1997 (21 year old) 49.9%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OLD0667/ DL12804

Dist: Sept 1997 Btl: Sept 2018/ Tasted: Oct 2018

Aromas of green citrus, gooseberry, kiwi and hard barley. The nose becomes quite ascetic but the lightly oxidised fruit and sweet vanilla balance.

The palate displays more of the hard barley character with a touch of citrus, warm vanilla and wood spice. Pretty straightforward but reasonably balanced. Hints of green banana and pineapple on the middle with a long, citric and almost salty mineral finish.

Douglas Laing Old Particular Glengoyne 1997 (21 year old) 48.5%

Bourbon/ Code: OLD0668/ Dist: Sept 1997 Btl: 2019/ Tasted: Aug 2019

The nose is very oaky and displays plenty of that mature sawdusty character along with some almost grain-like dried fruit. Hints of citrus, white fruit and honey follows. Thankfully the oak and oxidised fruit masks the industrial notes.

The palate is very much like the nose with plenty of toffee, dusty oak and oxidised fruit. The industrial character is just about noticeable along with some slightly acerbic notes, but overall it’s reasonably well balanced. A little short and tannic with bitter drying notes and a touch of white liquorice.

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Douglas Laing Old Malt Cask Glengoyne 1997 (14 year old) 50%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: OMC2089/DL7661

Dist: Sept 1997 Btl: Sept 2011/ Tasted: Nov 2011

Quite a spirity, high toned nose with some crisp, ganity barley and peppery Tequilla-esque and earthy notes.

The palate opens with some reasonably sweet barley with a sliver of honey. Relatively straightforward with hints of citrus and white fruits. Piquant alcohol leads to a slightly gristy finish with a suggestion of oak and spice. Quite pleasant for a Bourbon casked Glengoyne.

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Douglas Laing Premier Barrel Glengoyne 2007 (7 year old) 46%%

Bourbon/ Code: PBR0139/ Dist: Jun 2007 Btl: Aug 14/ Tasted: Aug 2014

A young, oily, ‘off the still’ nose with hints of white fruit, liquorice, straw and a light cardboardy note.

The palate is young, oily and lightly cardboardy with hints of earthy barley and granulated sugar. A touch of white fruit comes through on the middle and the finish has an intense peppery spice character and a light, honeyed after-taste. Cardboardy note as side its not too bad for an American oaked Glengoyne.

Douglas Laing Premier Barrel Glengoyne 2007 (7 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: PBR0139/ Dist: June 2007 Btl: Aug 2014/ Re-Tasted: Dec 2014

Young and oily aromas of rounded barley and nascent malt. Hints of white fruit and straw follow. Slightly soapy but very clean and fresh. No oak character, which is evident from its very pale colour.

The palate is young, fresh, granity and lightly oiled with hints of under ripe banana, grass and digestive biscuit. Like the nose there is no oak character but the spirit is surprisingly clean. Lightly bitter spice finish and a white fruit after-taste.

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Douglas Laing Single Minded Glengoyne 2007 (8 year old) 43%

Bourbon/ Code: SIN0016/ Dist: Apr 2007 Btl: Oct 2016?/ Tasted: Nov 2016

Aromas of sweet barley and grassy, new world Sauvignon Blanc. Very appealing and Spey-like. Late hints of sweet cinnamon and vanilla.

The palate is full and toffee’d with a subtler new world Sauvignon Blanc character, due to the abundance of oak. However it’s still reasonably well balanced and surprisingly clean. Long with lingering toffee.

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Douglas Laing Provenance Glengoyne 2007 (9 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1229/ DL11367

Dist: Mar 2007 Btl: Aug 2016/ Tasted: Dec 2016

Aromas of straw, earth and spirit notes. Simple and young with very subtle oak, citrus and barley.

The palate is a little insubstantial with hints of hard barley, toasted caramel, green apple and barley. Good length with a slightly sherbety finish.

Douglas Laing Provenance Glengoyne 2007 (10 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1302/ DL11754

Dist: Apr 2007 Btl: May 2017/ Tasted: Sept 2017

The nose is ascetic and high toned with hints of barley and vanilla. Pretty simple stuff!

The palate is a touch watery and insubstantial with hints of barley and oak. Good depth, medium length with a touch of caramel on the finish.

Douglas Laing Provenance Glengoyne 2007 (10 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1330/ DL12104

Dist: Apr 2007 Btl: Sept 2017/ Tasted: Feb 2018

An edgy nose, but there’s a good degree of sweet-ish barley to compensate. Hints of minerals, white fruit and vanilla oak.

The palate is generally quite clean with sweet-ish barley, cereal and a touch of honey and oak. An edgy herbal note arrives on the middle along with some Sauvignon Blanc-esque, grassy white fruit. Long, spicy finish.

Douglas Laing Provenance Glengoyne 2008 (10 year old) 46%

Refill Bourbon Hogshead/ Code: PRV1380/ DL12600

Dist: Jun 2008 Btl: Jun 2018/ Tasted: Aug 2018

A pungent, earthy and slightly hard nose with greengage, lime and pulped white fruit.

The palate is a little non-descript with hints of hard barley, apricot, vanilla and citrus. Short and a little hot.

Douglas Laing Provenance Glengoyne 2008 (10 year old) 46%

First Bourbon Hogshead?/ Code: PRV1418/ Dist: Jun 2008 Btl: Sept 2018/ Tasted: Jan 2019

Aromas of vanilla custard powder, apricot, apple and barley. Relatively clean if a little confected with late mineral, gooseberry and lime notes.

The palate opens with vanilla and caramel fudge. Hints of apricot, apple and barley follow. Like the nose it is relatively clean and lacking its usual industrial charm! Fresh and citric middle with a subtle oiliness/ Long, subtly spiced and citric finish. I have to say that its not too bad for an American oak aged ‘goyne!

Douglas Laing Provenance Glengoyne 2008 (10 year old) 46%

Bourbon/ Code: PRV1465/ Dist: Jun 2008 Btl: 2019/ Tasted : Aug 2019

A hot, ascetic and industrial nose with barley, honey, vanilla and citrus. The sweetness is intense enough to counter the industrial character unfortunately. late hints of white fruit and nettles.

The palate is fuller and less industrial as there is more oak vanillins, Still ascetic but quite honeyed on the middle. Short, hot and citric with lingering nettles and industrial barley.

Dewar Rattray Glengoyne Tasting Notes

Dewar Rattray ‘Single Cask’ Glengoyne 1998 (12 year old) 46%

Sample at cask strength 58%

Bourbon Cask 1289/ Dist: April 1998 Btl: Feb 2011/ Tasted: Feb 2011

Not a particularly inviting nose of burnt caramel. It’s oddly spirity and a bit on the plasticy side. In fact it reminds me of Deanston! Edgy, a touch dirty and with a very strong metallic note.

The palate is oily and viscous, again that burnt caramel which I can only assume is the oak mingles with some metallic notes. It’s pretty industrial stuff and unpleasantly astringent with some leafy/ nettly notes at the finish.

Dewar Rattray ‘Individual Cask Bottling’ Glengoyne 2001 (12 year old) 58.4%

Sherry Butt 388 (part)

Dist: Mar 2001 Btl: Apr 2013/ Tasted: Apr 2013

Quite a subtle nose for a sherried Glengoyne. Fresh, granity and slightly herbal with earth, liquorice, sugar coated orange and a touch of butter. A slight balsamic note appears along with hints of dunnage and cigar smoke. I’d be really enjoying this if it wasn’t for the musty, sulphur blemish.

The palate is soft and juicy. Again subtly sherried with hints of woody spice. Moist fruitcake mixed with liquorice, treacle and burnish wood comes through on the middle with more than a smidge of sulphur. Quite an alcoholic finish with a pervasive musty/ fusty spice finish.

Unfortunately water doesn’t banish the sulphur, which is a shame because the nose becomes pleasantly supple with liquid orange and gentle spices. The fruitcake notes are more centre stage now. The palate is pleasantly soft and  juicy but there is no getting away from the fusty spice finish.

Glengoyne Distillery Bottlings Tasting Notes

Glengoyne Cask Strength 58.2%

Batch 003/ Tasted: Dec 2014

The nose is a little soapy with hard barley, burnt caramel and green fruit. Slightly industrial with youthful herbal spirit notes.

The palate reeks of burnt caramel and toffee. Way too caramel dominated. Again there is some hard barley and industrial notes. Acerbic, burnt and bitter caramel finish. In conclusion: Someone was very heavy handed with the caramel.

Glengoyne 10 year old 40%

Bourbon (?)/ Sherry (mainly re-fill?)

Tasted: Aug 2010

A touch vegetal on the nose, no it’s actually quite veggy! Some perfumed orange tries to escape. It’s a bit of a messy, schizophrenic kind of nose with rose water and youthful botanical marc notes along with some delightful herbal-honey and over time some rancid butter.

The palate opens with the light, herbal honey and youthful marc notes. It has some lovely malty moments but it’s ruined by the vegetal note. A lovely spicy middle with hints of butterscotch. Quiet a granity hard, almost ridged finish. As this was from a 5cl miniature, they obviously used a less than perfect vatting?!

Glengoyne 12 year old 43%

Tasted: Apr 2015

Very subtle aromas of old barley husks, straw, orange blossom honey, satsuma, tangerine and lightly creamy oak. This definitely has some years on the clock. Give it some time and the mature notes are quite delightful.

The palate is unfortunately a little watery on the palate with the ghost of barley past being swamped by the toffee’d oak. Medium length with some lingering straw-like notes. Pleasant spicy after taste though! In conclusion: I don’t think this whisky fell out of the complexity tree at birth and time and oak hasn’t helped! In saying that it has a pleasant nose, but that in itself isn’t worth the entry fee! [tasted blind]

Glengoyne Cask Strength 12 year old 100 Proof 57.2%

Sherry

Tasted: Aug 2010

A gentle nose of leafy Oloroso, burnt, sweet toffee and rich orange fruit. Lots of wood spices and a touch of pine resin with some late honeyed notes. The palate is soft and like the nose pretty much all Sherry cask. Slightly leafy with a reasonable amount of tannins, a touch of spice and a sweet-nutty character. A touch short neat with the 10 year olds hard, granity finish.

A drop of water makes the nose a bit sickly sweet and there’s a vague sulphur note hanging around as well. It shows a smidgen more age with the marc like notes a bit more evolved. The palate is like the nose. Very so-so, no sweet malt or honey and no finish. Very disappointing. According to Charles Maclean this is the purest expression of Glengoyne! Hmmm!!

Glengoyne 14 year old ‘Limited Edition’ 40%

Exclusive to Marks & Spencers

First fill ex Oloroso sherry butts, first fill ex sherry hogsheads and refill sherry butts

Tasted: Sept 2013

The aromas are of very green and herbal Oloroso with a hint of sherry. There is a touch of dried fruit and plenty of unclean spirit notes. Hmmm, I think M&S are welcome to this bottling!

The palate is light and thin with a slight cardboardy character. Simple, confected sherry, dried fruit and spice. Short, slightly mineral and tartly citrus finish.

Glengoyne 15 year old ‘Scottish Oak Finish’ 43%

Tasted: Feb 2006

Softer, less resiny on the nose than the first bottling. I suspect that this is due to the fact that the Scottish oak casks are now re-filled. The nose is also sweeter with a huge depth of orange/ apricot fruit, earth and dunnage floors. Rounded and fruity with a touch mint/ menthol, light coffee and a hint of pine.

The palate opens with waves of sweet orange/ tangerine fruit followed by wood tannins and subtle spice, a touch of mint/ menthol and an almost sherry cask sweetness. An unbelievably huge finish with the creamy Seville orange flavour lasting.

Glengoyne 16 year old ‘Scottish Oak Finish’ 53.5%

Tasted: Jan 2003

An intense, complex and fruity nose. It has an almost Cognac-esque quality to it with an array of smoke, earth, fresh sherry, raisins and orange aromas all wrapped up in the pervasive resiny Scottish oak character.

The palate is intense, rich and fruity with piquant alcohol, hints of dried sherry fruit and again the Cognac/ Resiny character from the finishing cask. Very long finish with the fresh sherry notes coming through at the death.

Glengoyne 1990 Single Cask (16 year old) 58.7%

Tasted: Oct 2006

A rich nose of vegetal sherry cask, earth, stewed fruits, late vanilla and farmyards.

Dry and rich on the palate, again dominated by the vegetal sherry cask and alcohol. Tangy middle with a late marzipan/almond note. Several minutes later some rich sherry spices and coffee arrive. All the complexity is in the finish. A drop of water doesn’t help matters, it changes nothing! Far too vegetal, no whisky, all sherry cask.

Glengoyne 1992 (16 year old) 52.3%

Refill Sherry Hogshead 2078

Dist: Sept 1992 Btl: Sept 2008

Tasted: Aug 2010

A big, leafy, dark Oloroso nose with plenty of toffee, chocolate and wood notes. Pretty much all cask and alcohol. Although it’s an exceptionally clean cask.

The palate is broad and soft and like the nose all cask. No subtly, just leafy sherry, bitter chocolate, coffee, loads of tannins and alcohol. Good length with hints of smoked bacon.

A drop of water makes the nose slightly confected and brings out a smoky, charred note. The palate is very similar, very confected. All cask an no trousers but at least the granity finish is there.

Glengoyne 17 year old 43%

American & European Re-fill Sherry(?)

Tasted: Aug 2010

The nose is very much in the candied Sherry camp. There’s some lovely orange fruit with hints of orange blossom. Some distillery character – herbal honey comes through as do some American oak vanillins, which is why I’d assume that some of the sherry casks that have been used were American.

The palate is light and gentle with the vanilla and herbal honey first to show fleetingly before the sherry takes hold, dumping a factory full of dark chocolate, coffee and tannins on palate. Good length. It’s seems a bit younger than 17.

Glengoyne 18 year old 43%

Tasted: Dec 2014

Aromas of celery salt and lightly sawdusty oak. Dried apricot and prune aromas follow along with some moist, dark honey and roasted coffee. Quite herbal with time with some juniper coming through.

The palate is a little simplistic and toffee’d with an abundance of creamy caramel and a hint of barley. Long and creamy with the herbal accented dried fruit lingering. In conclusion: A little too much oak on the palate.

Glengoyne 21 year old 43%

Sherry

Tasted: Aug 2010

A richer, fruitier, rounded nose which leads on to suspect that some Pedro Ximinez casks have been employed here. Soft and enveloping complex aromas of xmas pudding fruits, sweet toffee, honeyed violets, spice and leather.

Soft and generous on the palate. Full bodied, opening with the sweet coffee-honeyed Pedro Ximinez dried fruit – dates, prunes. The herbal honey intermingles with the soft tannins on the middle, but there is plenty of alcohol to balance out tannins and sweetness. Very long with the dried fruit, cinnamon and burnt toffee lingering. I’m amazed that there is a small amount of distillery character present (maybe because of tasting the 10 year I know what I’m looking for and if I was tasting it on it’s own I might have missed it) Again a bit of a granity hard finish with hints of pine needles.

Glengoyne 21 year old 43%

Re-Tasted: Dec 2014

A nose of edgy green nuts and slightly sulphured sherry. Hints of prune, walnuts and cinnamon follow.

The palate opens with dark honey, walnuts, dried fruit and toffee. Again that sulphur blemish is present. The finish is bitter and caramelled, but quite spicy. In conclusion: Sulphur ruined.

Glengoyne 1986 (21 year old) 52.2%

First Fill Oloroso Cask 1391/ Dist: Nov 1986 Btl: Jun 2008/ Tasted: Aug 2010

A big, sweet, full-on, no prisoners taken Oloroso nose. Quite a fresh Oloroso butt, with the expected leafiness along with caramelised dried fruit, burnt toffee, liquorice and dark coffee notes.

The palate mirrors the nose, with a huge amount of wood tannins. Mouth puckering alcohol adds to the severity. A good clean cask though. A drop of water makes not one iota of difference to the nose or the palate, maybe there’s a touch of sweet orange fruity though, and maybe the palate has become a bit confected, and I wouldn’t have put this down as 21 years old!