Signatory Glen Keith 26 Year Symingtons

Tasting Notes

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: deep, dark, earthy, and syrupy; dark baker's chocolate, Cuban cigars, earthen floor sherry bodegas; stewed prunes and grilled figs; burnt orange peel, mincemeat pie, and woody spices: cinnamon sticks, licorice root, and ginger root.

Palate: big, rich, and spicy with earthy tones, loads of dark fruit and chocolate; even more sherried than the colour let on; raisins, dates, and figs, as well as that singed orange; Mom's mincemeat pie; building hot but decadent spices, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom; earthy dunnage warehouse notes with more tobacco, dark chocolate, and a creamy coating backbone; the body is heavy and oily.

Finish: warming, spicy, and decadent, with more dark fruits, dark chocolate, leather and tobacco; late traces of tropical fruits hidden beneath the sherry. 

Comment: most of the Glen Keith we've seen has been from American oak, predominantly refill, so this is something a little more unusual; it is new school sherry, but very good nonetheless; hard to believe this is a 2nd fill Oloroso Sherry Butt, the sherry tones are dominant, and this drinks more like first fill.

Independent Bottler

Signatory Vintage was established in 1988 by Andrew Symington. The quality of whiskies released by most Independent Bottlers can vary a lot, and be rather hit or miss. Signatory Vintage is an exception to this, and we have consistently been impressed by the quality of its offerings. Accordingly Signatory Vintage has been a staple in our shop for more than a decade.

One of the reasons for Signatory's consistently high level of quality is that it doesn't bottle casks in the hand-to-mouth fashion, of many other independent bottlers. But rather it purchases parcels of casks, storing them in their own warehouses, while patiently waiting for the whiskies to mature.

Originally located in Edinburgh, the business was moved to Pitlochry in 2002, after Symington purchased the Edradour Distillery from Pernod Ricard. Edradour is tucked into the hills above the scenic Highland town of Pitlochry. This farm distillery has a charming, rustic, and understated esthetic, which was maintained by Symington when building a new bottling facility and warehousing.

The distillery bottles single cask and small batch bottlings of both single malts and single grains. Its ranges include the Un-Chill Filtered and Cask Strength Collections. In 1988 the firm celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a range of specially chosen, exceptionally rare single casks.