Glenkinchie 16yo Four Corners of Scotland

Glenkinchie 16yo Four Corners of Scotland

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Dark green gold
50.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Wet stones, fresh cut grass, apricots, malted grains, lemon zest, leather, heather honey. With water, cream, magic marker, pears, fresh cut grass. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, oily, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Malted grains, heather honey, lemon zest, apricots, white grapes, white pepper, cream. With water, white pepper, cream, magic marker. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, lemon zest, cream, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Creamy and slightly lactic, but with plenty of orchard fruits and honey. This is more minerally than the average Glenkinchie, and has some very prominent feinty notes. Very nice whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenkinchie Distillery Hand Fill 12yo Batch 003

Glenkinchie Distillery Hand Fill 12yo Batch 003

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Amber red
55.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Heather honey, pears, apricots, malted grains, orange peel, watermelons, hints of mace. With water, ink, malted grains, pears. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, thickens, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Malted grains, wet stones, apricots, pears, leather, vitamin C tablets, watermelons, mace, hints of nutmeg. With water, malted grains, fresh baked bread, orange peel, pears. 
Finish: Medium. Watermelons, white grapes, heather honey, apricots. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, with plenty of orchard fruit and spices. Water opens it up wonderfully, turning it malty and cereally. The fruit is still present, but in diminished quantities. Very nice whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Black Friday 2023 (Glenkinchie 15yo)

Black Friday 2023 (Glenkinchie 2023)

Black Friday, Specialty Drinks Ltd
Single malt - Lowlands
Bright gold
54.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hoppy beer, peaches, honey, nectarines, pear drops, hints of pineapples. With water, magic marker, pineapples, peaches, white grapes. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Peaches, honey, pineapples, malted grains, magic marker, oatcakes, hints of coffee. With water, honey, hoppy beer, peaches, ginseng. 
Finish: Short. Magic marker, nectarines, malted grains, coffee, hints of ginseng. 

Comments: 

The Whisky Exchange Black Friday dram for last year - it’s a Glenkinchie. Rich and rounded, lots of full fruity notes, over a very strong malty spine. Exactly the sort of whisky I love. It’s got a layer of bitterness too, which ups the complexity even more.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

A Lowland Distillery 13yo 2007/2021 Reserve Casks Parcel No 7

A Lowland Distillery 13yo 2007/2021 Reserve Casks Parcel No 7

Single Malts of Scotland, Elixir Distillers
Single malt - Lowlands
Golden
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon zest, stale beer, pencil erasers, sea salt, cinnamon, yoghurt, hints of roast chicken. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, loosens, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Stale beer, malted grains, cinnamon, lemon zest, yoghurt, orange peel, cinnamon, hints of malted grains. 
Finish: Short. Lemon zest, black tea, malted grains, pencil erasers. 

Comments: 

I have it on good authority that this is Glenkinchie. Cheers Andrea! Anyway, it’s quite robust, lots of citrus and yoghurt, a lot of spice as well. There are some slightly sulphurous notes that detract a little bit, but it’s a nice summery whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition 12yo 2005/2017

Glenkinchie Distiller's Edition 12yo 20015/2017

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Red gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apple juice, red grapes, calvados, barley sugar, hints of raisins, hints of lemon juice. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, slightly fizzy, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, apple juice, lemon juice, butter, red grapes. 
Finish: Medium. Apple juice, red grains, calvados, barley sugar, hints of puff pastry. 

Comments: 

Matured in Amontillado casks. Heaps of appley goodness here. There's a spirity note that I can only associate with calvados, alongside lovely fruity notes from other non-apple fruits. Also a very nice set of buttery, pastry notes that remind me of apple pie.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 22.28 (Glenkinchie 21 yo 1987/2009)

SMWS 22.28 (Glenkinchie 21 yo 1987/2009)

2010, SMWS
Single malt - Lowlands
Pale pink gold
54% ABV
Dram

Nose: Green apples, lemons, lychees, custard apples, vanilla, raspberries, hints of roses.
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens, astringent, tingly.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Lychees, cornflakes, vanilla, honey, custard apples, raspberries, hints of mango.
Finish: Medium. Chillies, cornflakes, honey, lychees.

Comments:

Thanks to Anne Lise for the big dram! Fruity and light, lots of flavour. Released a little early in the year - this is a very very decent summer whisky. An excellent alternative to Rosebank (my traditional summer dram).

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 22.23 (Glenkinchie 18 yo 1987/2006)

SMWS 22.23 (Glenkinchie 18 yo 1987/2006)

2006, SMWS
Single malt - Lowlands
Golden
52.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, sandalwood, black tea, cloves, orange peel, hints of bitter lemon zest.
Mouthfeel: Light body, egg white, slippery in the mouth.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Lemons, custard, cloves, oat bread, hints of raisins and lemon thyme.
Finish: Short. Lemons, demerara sugar, sponge cake.

Comments:

Light and perfumed, perfect way to start an afternoon drinking session. A little too sticky in the mouth perhaps, but otherwise a very enjoyable whisky indeed. Reminded me, despite the total absence of any smoke or peat, of the clove cigarettes that people smoke in Indonesia.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenkinchie 1992 Distiller's Edition (1992/2007)

Glenkinchie 1992 Distiller's Edition (1992/2007)

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
Light gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hint of chlorine, lime juice, fresh apples, butter.
Mouthfeel: Syrupy, medium body.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Tangy, hazelnut syrup, nutmeg, light lemon sorbet.
Finish: Short. Malty, apples, pears.

Comments:

Very good indeed! The slight chemical notes go very well with the abundance of fruit. The whisky is also more substantial, quite heavy for a Lowlander. I think the nuttiness might have been something harsher before being mellowed by the aging. Nice stuff, this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!

Glenkinchie 12 yo

Glenkinchie 12 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Lowlands
White wine
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemon, violets, other cut flowers, beer, malt, hint of hops.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, full, light body.
Tasting: Sweet. Lemon, creamy vanilla, hint of leather, hint of new plastic.
Finish: Short. Warming, sweet peanuts.

Comments:

Light and slightly chemical. Because of the latter, not as refreshing as I thought it might be. Interesting nonetheless, although I think that the combination turns out, in the end, to be a little like the artificial lemon flavouring you get in Lemsip. Rosebank has artificial lemons in it as well, but it's different - evokes summer, rather than medicine...

Verdict:

I like this.