Why? Dunno, really... well, maybe because most what's available with the Glen Garioch label is official bottlings - and, with the risk of sounding like a whisky elitist, I often find many (not all!) distillery bottlings a bit on the dull side and go for indie bottlings instead... I like the indies for bottling at higher strength, often (but not always) at a minimum of 46% abv, they also keep most of their bottlings free of e150a caramel coloring and does not chill filter - there, that's the whisky anorak shortlist :-)
But back to the Glen Garioch...
But back to the Glen Garioch...
This carries a 1991 vintage and being bottled in 2010, and with that it manages to carry and age of either 18 or 19 years of age, depending on what time of year its distilled/bottled. It does state on the back of the bottle that the color of the whisky has been adjusted by caramel, though I don't think its that much
*edit 1. April 09:12am* I should have added the following earlier and an online fellow blogger pointed out that I forgot about the following - thanks B
'There is, however, no peat to be found in the Glen Gariochs bottling distilled post mid-1990s....'
Glen Garioch 1991/2010, Batch#38, 54,7%, ex-bourbon casks, Distillery bottling
*edit 1. April 09:12am* I should have added the following earlier and an online fellow blogger pointed out that I forgot about the following - thanks B
'There is, however, no peat to be found in the Glen Gariochs bottling distilled post mid-1990s....'
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| Glen Garioch Distillery exterior, picture from VisitAberdeen.com |
Glen Garioch 1991/2010, Batch#38, 54,7%, ex-bourbon casks, Distillery bottling
Colour is straw
Nose:
Very fresh with lots of grassy notes and both apple and citrus along with it, vanilla, honey and a barley/bran theme. Underneath that, some peat lurks and makes the whole thing a quite delicious mix. Some mineral/flinty notes in there along with a few flowery notes as well.. The alcohol nips a bit at the nose, but also helps the whole experience along.
Very fresh with lots of grassy notes and both apple and citrus along with it, vanilla, honey and a barley/bran theme. Underneath that, some peat lurks and makes the whole thing a quite delicious mix. Some mineral/flinty notes in there along with a few flowery notes as well.. The alcohol nips a bit at the nose, but also helps the whole experience along.
Taste:
At first I had this coming across as quite spirity, but quickly goes on to become quite delicious with lemon peel, lots of apple and pears, herbs, vanilla and ginger theme and some celery??. Mid-palate the malt shines through and mellows the experience a bit. Sometimes notes of sweet white wine also appears along with vanilla and some delicious peat notes.
A little water brings out more fruit on both the nose and the palate...
A little water brings out more fruit on both the nose and the palate...
Great stuff!
88/100!
