Girvan 19yo 2002/2022

Girvan 19yo 2002/2022

Old Particular, Douglas Laing
Single grain - Lowlands
Amber
51.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: White pepper, sandalwood, vanilla, oak chips, lemon zest, hints of smoke, hints of gooseberries. With water, oak chips, molasses, hints of smoke. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slippery, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Vanilla, corn syrup, white pepper, oak chips, malted grains, popcorn, lemon zest. With water, vanilla, lemon zest, popcorn. 
Finish: Medium. Photocopy paper, sandalwood, popcorn, toffee, hints of desiccated coconut. 

Comments: 

Cask DL 16487. Floral and woody, with plenty of popcorn, and perhaps a touch of smoke. Water brings out more vanilla, more wood and even more popcorn. Decent dram. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Girvan 27yo 1996/2023

Girvan 27yo 1996/2023

Whisky Blues, The Whisky Age
Single grain - Lowlands
Bronze
55.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Acetone, malted grains, black pepper, rye bread, sea salt, white grapes, hints of peaches. With water, vanilla, pear drops, fresh baked bread, sea salt. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, astringent. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Pear drops, fresh baked bread, acetone, peaches, vanilla, popcorn. With water, vanilla, peaches, pear drops, popcorn. 
Finish: Long. White grapes, popcorn, vanilla, black pepper, pear drops. 

Comments: 

A rather good aged grain, lots of fruity notes. The vanilla / slightly estery note is turned down, or perhaps matured into something very much like pear drops. Water brings out notes of popcorn and peaches.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Girvan 31yo 1990/2022

Girvan 31yo 1990/2022

Thompson Brothers
Single grain - Lowlands
Green gold
50.6% ABV
Dram

Nose: Leather, roast pork, coconut cream, vanilla, oatcakes, honey, apples. With water, leather, photocopy paper, apples. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, thickens, sticky. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Oatcakes, vanilla, honey, photocopy paper, apples, black pepper, hints of cinnamon. With water, raisins, photocopy paper, oatcakes, honey. 
Finish: Long. Oatcakes, apples, vanilla, honey, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Heavy syrupy old grain whisky, lots of fruit and spice. The oaty vanilla notes are muted, and it’s a lot more complex than a typical grain. It shows its age, as it well should. Lovely from Phil and Simon Thompson as always.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Girvan 10yo 2010/2021

Girvan 10yo 2010/2021

Select Grain, Murray McDavid
Single grain - Lowlands
Buttercups
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Apples, vanilla, honey, caramel, cornflakes, hints of chocolate. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, mouth coating, cool. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cornflakes, green tea, honey, vanilla, caramel, hints of nutmeg, hints of sandalwood. 
Finish: Long. Caramel, nutmeg, cornflakes, apples, vanilla, honey. 

Comments: 

I don’t normally like young grain whisky, but this is rather good. Decent level of complexity, even some spicy, and it’s got a touch of luxurious unctuous mouth feel. Very pleasant indeed.

Verdict:

I like this.

Girvan 50 yo 1964/2015 (cask 2)

Girvan 50 yo 1964/2015 (cask 2)

Vintage Cask Collection, AD Rattray
Single grain - Lowlands
Gold, tinge of pink
46.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, blackcurrant cordial, iron filings, brass polish, honey, vanilla. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, astringent, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Raisins, white grapes, vanilla, honey, lemon zest, hints of rice krispies . 
Finish: Short. Fresh baked bread, white grapes, blackcurrant cordial, hints of cotton candy. 

Comments: 

Ok, this is a real treat. As I grow older, whiskies older than I am are rarer and rarer. I'm pleased to report that this one is very good indeed. I like the fruity, slightly bitter notes - no bright, brassy estery notes here. It's been very well aged, and there's plenty of cereally notes on the back of the tongue and on the finish.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Girvan Patent Still Single Grain Launch Edition

Girvan Patent Still Single Grain Launch Edition

Official bottling
Single grain - Lowlands
Light copper
42% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butterscotch, mint, black tea, brass polish, vanilla fudge, hints of cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens slightly, slightly astringent, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Apricots, butterscotch, vanilla fudge, whipped cream, hints of peaches, hints of bananas. 
Finish: Medium. Butterscotch, peaches, cream, hints of black tea. 

Comments: 

Fruity and gentle, yet not so sprightly anymore. This is apparently at least 25 years old. I like the slight brassiness on the nose, but this thins away to some peach notes on the tongue. Quite sweet and pleasant. Good grain whisky!

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS G7.8 (Girvan 30 yo 1984/2015)

SMWS G7.8 (Girvan 30 yo 1984/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Copper
59.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, red peppercorns, hints of pine needles. With water, sweeter, slightly smoky, hints of cherries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, turns syrupy, mouth coating. 
Tasting: Sweet sour Lemon zest, rhubarb and custard sweets, grated coconuts, toast, red peppercorns, hints of marmalade. With water, sweeter, maraschino cherries, pears. 
Finish: Long. Vanilla, white grapes, grated coconut, hints of marmalade. 

Comments: 

Mmm... aged whisky, there's nothing like it. 30 years in the cask peeled away the usual vanilla notes in grain whisky, replacing it with zesty, fruity, fresh flavours, even some floral spiciness in the form of red peppercorns. On the tongue it was jammy and toasty. This was a bargain. Good job people don't like grain whisky in general, more for me!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS G7.2 (Girvan 27 yo 1984/2011)

SMWS G7.2 (Girvan 27 yo 1984/2011)

2011, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Brass
60.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Lemons, raisins, cream, honey, fresh bread, popcorn, hints of salt caramel. With water, fresher, pears, marshmallows.
Mouthfeel: Light body, airy, evaporates quickly.
Tasting: Sweet salty. Lemons, raisins, honey, salt caramel, popcorn, vanilla, hints of cherries, hints of sandalwood. With water, saltier, peanuts, vanilla, more sandalwood.
Finish: Long. Salt caramel, lemon zest, honey, vanilla.

Comments:

Incredibly fragrant neat, and a little hard to drink. Upon adding a little water, it opens up a bit, but remains confusing. The diluted nose is sweet, airy flavours of pears, marshmallows and cream, but in the mouth, it is salty and nutty and covered in sandalwood. Interesting grain.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS G7.3 (Girvan 27 yo 1984/2012)

SMWS G7.3 (Girvan 27 yo 1984/2012)

2012, SMWS
Single grain - Lowlands
Golden
59.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla ice cream, popcorn, bananas, baked potatoes, hints of rope. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, oily, smooth, mouth coating. 
Tasting: Sweet sour. Bananas, leather, popcorn, vanilla, cardboard, white pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Leather, cardboard, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Starts out promisingly, with lots of tasty fruity fragrant notes, but then fades into a slightly unpleasant welter of rope and leather. Normally I find leathery notes to be a tasty sign of nice aging, but here it tastes somewhat musty.
 

Verdict:

Not bad.