Glenlochy 38yo 1965/2003

Glenlochy 38yo 1965/2003

Old and Rare, Douglas Laing
Single malt - West Highlands
Amber orange
42.3% ABV

Dram

Nose: Magic marker, pandan, orange peel, malted grains, molasses, black pepper. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Magic marker, molasses, barley sugar, malted grains, black tea, heather, pandan, hints of candle wax. 
Finish: Long. Heather, hay, black tea, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Rather herbal and grassy, not as many saline notes as I’d expect given what I found in other Glenlochies. No water, it’s a bit low in strength and rather drinkable as is.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 31yo 1980/2011

Glenlochy 31yo 1980/2011

Cask Strength Collection, Signatory
Single malt - Western Highlands
Golden
57.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Roast pork, white grapes, rhubarb and custard sweets, magic marker, fresh baked bread, nutmeg. With water, peaches, magic marker, pears, nutmeg. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, cool, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, leather, peaches, nutmeg, cloves, roast pork, chalk, hints of smoke. With water, leather, white grapes, cloves, violets. 
Finish: Medium. White grapes, leather, white pepper, nutmeg. 

Comments: 

Cask 2825. Extremely complex and layered whisky. There’s plenty of everything for everyone. It’s mostly floral, but not the pungent florality of ginger or turmeric, instead it’s gentle flowers and perhaps some acetone-like notes. Lovely. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 24yo 1980/2005

Glenlochy 24yo 1980/2005

Rarest of the Rare, Duncan Taylor 
Single malt - Western Highlands
Copper gold 
61.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: White chocolate, white pepper, galangal, leather, roast pork, lemon zest, magic marker, sea salt. With water, magic marker, fresh baked bread, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, expands. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, nectarines, galangal, white pepper, vanilla, fresh baked bread, magic marker. With water, fresh baked bread, vanilla, nectarines, hints of white pepper. 
Finish: Long. White pepper, leather, white chocolate, nectarines, hints of roast pork. 

Comments: 

A meaty herbal, sweet and fruity Glenlochy. Very complex, it needs time to open up, nearly 30 minutes, to develop to its full range of flavours. Lots of floral notes as well, plenty of galangal.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 26yo 1969/1995 Rare Malts Selection

Glenlochy 26yo 1969/1995 Rare Malts Selection

Official bottling 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Golden
58.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Toast, ink, honey, leather, lemon zest, tamarind, hints of prawn crackers. With water, honey, orange peel, guava, hints of soursop. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, loosens, slightly airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Honey, lemon zest, toast, leather, fresh baked bread, smoke, cucumbers, hints of charcoal ash. With water, sweeter, honey, soursop, leather, hints of charcoal ash. 
Finish: Long. Smoke, leather, cucumbers, hints of honey. 

Comments: 

An amazing Glenlochy tasting concluded with this beauty. It’s delightful - not too sweet, vegetal and smoky, but with plenty of tropical fruit notes. It’s probably one of three whiskies I’ve thought might be worth at 11 out of 10.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 38yo 1965/2003

Glenlochy 38yo 1965/2003

Old & Rare Platinum Selection, Douglas Laing 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Dark gold
42.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cream, bubblegum, peaches, honey, lemon zest, blueberries, leather. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, cool, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Bubblegum, peaches, lemon zest, cream, fresh baked bread, honey, limes, hints of toast. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, malted grains, leather, hints of toast. 

Comments: 

Surprisingly bright and fruity for such and aged malt. Not a lot of leather or celery, so the OBE gremlins appear to have left this one alone. I normally don’t like bubblegum too much, but here, it is pleasant and floral, lifts the whole experience. Very nice.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 27yo 1974/2002

Glenlochy 27yo 1974/2002

Vintage, Signatory 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Bright gold
53.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, papayas, starfruit, white pepper, peat, cinnamon, hints of lemon zest. With water, strawberries, lemon zest, smoke, hints of charcoal ash. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, warm. 

Tasting: Sweet. White pepper, damson jam, strawberries, honey, vanilla, peat, lemon zest, hints of papayas. With water, lemon zest, strawberries, leather, farmyard.

Finish: Long. Sweet, peat, lemon zest, strawberries, hints of charcoal ash. 

Comments: 

Sweeter Glenlochy, some sherried character, but slowly decays into the usual peppered honey and ashy, smoky finish. I’m definitely a fan of this by now, it’s like licking a piece of wet charcoal. Doesn’t sound too pleasant, but that’s one of the joys of whisky, some taste experiences that you’d never partake of can indeed be bottled.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 1979/2012

Glenlochy 1979/2012

Rare Old, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Bright gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Applesauce, cotton sheets, jasmine, lemon zest, leather, hints of farmyard. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, astringent, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Applesauce, leather, lemon zest, white pepper, cooked rice, hints of farmyard. 
Finish: Long. Leather, lemon zest, honey, cooked rice, hints of vanilla. 

Comments: 

RO/12/04. Glenlochy whisky is quite consistent, they may have been quite different when younger, but they appear to age and take on OBE in the same way. This one has some honey and white pepper but there’s some differences with cooked rice notes and very little smoke. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 29yo 1980/2010

Glenlochy 29yo 1980/2010

Vintage, Signatory 
Single malt - Western Highlands
Dark gold
52.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, wheaties, orange peel, winter melons, lemon zest, hints of jasmine. With water, honey, five spice powder, hints of orange peel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, tingly. 

Tasting: Bitter sweet. Orange peel, lemon zest, honey, cucumbers, smoke, leather, hints of charcoal ash. With water, leather, honey, smoke, white pepper, charcoal ash.

Finish: Medium. Honey, orange peel, lemon zest, cucumbers, hints of charcoal ash. 

Comments: 

Cask 2649. This whisky displays another facet of Glenlochy, this time its propensity to taste like Chinese herbs. This one is like five spice powder, especially once a little water is added. There’s still that ashy charcoal on the tongue though.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 22yo 1977/2000

Glenlochy 22yo 1977/2000

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Pale gold
57% ABV
Dram

Nose: Smoke, leather, winter melons, cooked rice, honey, white pepper. With water, smoke, leather, honey, lemon zest, hints of liquorice. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Leather, honey, white pepper, cooked rice, smoke, lemon zest, hints of liquorice. With water, smoke, leather, lemon zest, charcoal ash. 
Finish: Long. Smoke, leather, white pepper, lemon zest, hints of liquorice. 

Comments: 

A sister cask to the previous Glenlochy, this is more cereally in character. Less jamminess, and when a few drops of water are added, the smoky charcoal ash characteristics start to appear. No soap either :).

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 19yo 1977/1997

Glenlochy 19yo 1977/1997

Authentic Collection 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Pale green gold 
56.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, lemon zest, damson jam, white pepper, leather, yoghurt, hints of smoke. With water, lemon zest, wet stones, smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Lemon zest, peanuts, damson jam, white pepper, cream, smoke, hints of yoghurt. With water, peanuts, smoke, honey, wet stones. 
Finish: Medium. Lemon zest, white pepper, honey, white grapes, wet stones. 

Comments: 

I found this Glenlochy quite flinty and fruity, with more than a hint of sherried jamminess. Others at the tasting got some soapiness, like dishwashing liquid. I liked it, and perhaps found only a hint of soap in the finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 1974 Speymalt Special Reserve

Glenlochy 1974 Speymalt Special Reserve 

Speymalt Special Reserve, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Dark gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, winter melons, leather, cotton sheets, smoke, leather, Chinese angelica. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, thickens slightly, airy. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Toast, smoke, honey, leather, cotton sheets, leather, white pepper, hints of farmyard. 
Finish: Long. Honey, white pepper, lemon zest, smoke, peat. 

Comments: 

Another Glenlochy, showcasing another facet of the whisky. This one has the honey and pepper spice, but not quite the charcoal ash. There’s a savoury herbal sweetness, like Chinese herbal soups, particularly those featuring Chinese angelica. Strange and wonderful.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 1977/1994

Glenlochy 1977/1994

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Dark gold, hints of green
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Pears, watermelons, white grapes, leather, fresh cut grass, white pepper, roast pork, hints of lychees. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, tingly, slightly astringent. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Pears, white pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, fresh cut grass, peat, roast pork, leather, hints of lychees. 
Finish: Medium. Honey, lychees, white pepper, peat, lemon juice. 

Comments: 

This Glenlochy is different yet again in character. The charcoal ash smoke manifests slightly differently, more roast meat rather than ashy bitterness. Lots of tropical fruit and pepper spice, with a citrus tang. Quite gentle as Glenlochys go. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenlochy 38yo 1968/2006

Glenlochy 38yo 1968/2006

Rare Old, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Dark gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: White pepper, orange peel, cinnamon, leather, vanilla, hints of sage. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter. Smoke, orange peel, fresh baked bread, vanilla, damson jam, leather, charcoal ash, hints of turmeric. 
Finish: Short. Damson jam, leather, charcoal ash, smoke, hints of turmeric. 

Comments: 

Superb old Glenlochy. I’m starting to learn more about the characteristics of 1960s and 1970s distillate from this distillery. It’s ashy yet fruity and sweet, and there’s this spiciness that I think of as turmeric. It’s rare in whisky. So good.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 27yo 1980/2007

Glenlochy 27yo 1980/2007

Closed Distilleries, Part des Anges
Single malt - Western Highlands 
Pale green gold
58.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Papayas, starfruit, cucumbers, green tea, jasmine, hints of malted grains. With water, cucumbers, greengages, galangal. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, thickens slightly, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter salty. Sea salt, starfruit, kombu, jasmine, turmeric, white pepper, cucumbers. With water, white pepper, lemon zest, jasmine, turmeric. 
Finish: Long. Turmeric, galangal, kombu, hints of cucumbers. 

Comments: 

Very unusual whisky. Lots of fragrant spices, acrid ones like turmeric and galangal. It’s also very floral and light, fragrant and savoury. Quite incredible, never tasted anything like this before.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 1974/1991

Glenlochy 1974/1991

Connoisseur’s Choice, Gordon & Macphail 
Single malt - Western Highlands
Copper

40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, candle wax, dried apricots, honey, raisins, blueberries, strawberry jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, expands, airy.  
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Strawberry jam, dried apricots, mint, leather, candle wax, dark chocolate, raisins, hints of blueberries. 
Finish: Medium. Dark chocolate, coffee, leather, farmyard, hints of celery. 

Comments: 

This is a rather famous G&M Glenlochy, it has a vintage but no bottling year. I understand it was bottled in 1991. It’s lovely, lots of dried fruit and a leathery farmyardiness, with plenty of old bottle effect. Utterly delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlochy 22yo 1977/1999

Glenlochy 22yo 1977/1999

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - West Highlands
Dark gold
40% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, leather, black tea, brass polish, butter, honey, dried apples, hints of rhubarb and custard. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, sticky, turns syrupy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, butter, black tea, leather, mint, hints of dried apples. 
Finish: Long. Mint, raisins, peanuts, honey, butterscotch. 

Comments: 

Very lucky to be able to taste this old Glenlochy, distilled before I was born. It's gentle and subtle, not intense like other old whiskies, lots of brassy, fruity and buttery notes. There's something tannic hidden among the sweetness. And such a long, long finish. Not that much old bottle effect - the celery is very light, there's much more leather and old books.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glenlochy 32 yo 1980/2012

Glenlochy 32 yo 1980/2012

Cask Strength, Signatory
Single malt - West Highlands
Weak tea
60.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Salt caramel, leather, mint, brass polish, lemon sweets, raisins, hints of chillies. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, viscous, static. 
Tasting:  Salty sour. Mint, lemon sweets, brass polish, leather, grass, raisins, hints of smoke. 
Finish: Medium. Smoke, leather, wet stones, black tea. 

Comments: 

One of the last drams of Glenlochy, surely. This one is scarily drinkable at 60.1%. I took the decision not to add water, and to enjoy it fully flavoured at cask strength. Smoky and 'hard', but not harsh. Salt caramel on the nose that melts away to grassy smoky loveliness.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 62.15 (Glenlochy 26 yo 1980/2006)

SMWS 62.15 (Glenlochy 26 yo 1980/2006)

2006, SMWS
Single malt - West Highlands
Pink gold
59.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, white grape, raspberries, butter, vanilla, honey, hints of peanut.
Mouthfeel: Light body, hot, astringent, volatile.
Tasting: Sweet. Tobacco, raspberries, white grapes, butter, vanilla, apples, peanuts, hints of peat.
Finish: Short. Peat, tobacco, apples, vanilla.

Comments:

Doesn't go well with water. I do like the tobacco notes a lot (without water). Almost like smelling a Marlboro Lights cigarette.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 62.12 (Glenlochy 24 yo 1980/2005)

SMWS 62.12 (Glenlochy 24 yo 1980/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - West Highlands
Pink gold
60.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, marzipan, raspberries, vanilla, limes, hints of honey, hints of horlicks. With water, raisins, brown paper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, turns to egg white.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Dark chocolate, butter, vanilla, honey, horlicks, hints of lime sherbet, hints of marzipan. With water, brown paper, raisins, hints of almonds, hints of peanuts.
Finish: Medium. Hot, peanuts, limes, vanilla.

Comments:

The horlicks notes are very comforting. Probably an excellent dram to have before going to bed. Very soothing and relaxing.

Verdict:

I like this.