Whisky Sponge Glen Garioch 1991 EdNo.65A

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Distilled in 1991 this 30 year old Glen Garioch was matured 10 years in Refill Hogsheads, before filling into a First Fill Port Barrique for 20 further years of maturation. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 41.4%. 89pts Whiskybase

Producer Note

"Whisky Sponge Edition No.65A is a 30 year old Glen Garioch 1991 bottled at natural cask strength of 41.4%. We don't normally like port influence in our whiskies, but this was an altogether different proposition. Matured for its initial 10 years in a refill hogshead, this whisky was then transferred to a 1st fill port barrique for a further 20 years of maturation - thus making it well and truly a proper double maturation. The robust Glen Garioch malt pairs very well with a rich, active, sticky sweet, unctuous and slightly tart port cask. The result is a mature, dark and luscious old single malt, at a naturally quaffable drinking strength and displaying many of the characteristics found in older style sherried malts with a lot of dark sticky fruit, chocolate and rancio qualities. A delicious and very silly whisky that should probably be enjoyed while wearing extremely comfortable slippers within a radius of no more than 10 meters of a modest log fire."

700ml ml

Region:Scotland > Highland
Vintage:1991

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Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: very nutty and chocolatey, with loads of dried fruit; Nocino, maple walnuts, candied almonds, and beer nuts; gummy bears coated in milk chocolate, soft new leather, and musty old oak; dried dark fruits and licorice root; verging on antique-y and tropical...

Palate: thick and chocolatey with syrupy dark fruits and more nutty tones; soft leather, fruity tobacco, and sweet fortified wines; loads of dried dark fruits, from raisins to prunes and everything in between; the Nocino is still there along with a hint of Frenet; once more a trace of tropical fruits; a faint hint of smoke?

Finish: long, herbal, and fruity, with building chocolate, tobacco, and spices.

Comment: this is a curious old Glen Geery, with an old-school profile, and an unusual cask pedigree; it is also from that era back when the distillery still ran its own floor maltings, so I am pretty confident that I am picking up a trace of peat; if I didn't already know this was from a port cask, I would have guessed PX Sherry; lovely dram this.

Producer Tasting Note

Nose: deeply syrupy, chocolatey and dominated by dark fruits, plum wine, aniseed and gentle herbal and rancio notes. Wonderfully concentrated, elegant and cohesive.

Palate: the natural strength is low, but the whisky is still wonderfully rounded, balanced and still shows good power. Intensely darkly fruity, herbal, chocolatey and full of earths, wormwood and pipe tobacco.

Finish: surprisingly long with rancio, tart berry fruit and impressions of soft waxiness and mulling spices.