Glen Grant 10yo (bottled 1980s)

Glen Grant 10yo (bottled 1980s)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden 
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Papayas, white grapes, honey, sandalwood, gooseberries, cloves, cardamom. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, expands, airy, cool. 
Tasting:  Sour sweet. Gooseberries, white grapes, honey, malted grains, white chocolate, hints of cardamom. 
Finish: Short. Vanilla, gooseberries, papayas, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Very spicy, fruity and sweet. Redolent with fragrant cloves and cardamom, but very fruity and malty. The flavour layers are precise and well defined. Excellent stuff, with just a touch of old bottle effect.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Grant 31yo 1984/2016

Glen Grant 31yo 1984/2016

Single Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside
Chinese tea
46.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, cloves, malted grains, sandalwood, black pepper, marshmallows, hints of cream. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, thickens slightly, slippery, cool. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Apple juice, malted grains, marshmallows, vanilla, raisins, black tea, condensed milk, butterscotch. 
Finish: Long. Black tea, black pepper, raisins, cream, vanilla. 

Comments: 

Quite milky and sweet, lots of butterscotch and vanilla notes. Complex and luscious, and you can taste the age, despite the slightly lower ABV. A wonderful example of Glen Grant.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 9.181 (Glen Grant 24yo 1996/2020)

SMWS 9.181 (Glen Grant 24yo 1996/2020)

2020, SMWS

Single malt - Speyside 
Bronze 
49.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, toffee, cocoa nibs, honey, milk chocolate, nutmeg, cloves, marshmallows. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, astringent, tingly, hot. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Cocoa nibs, milk chocolate, raisins, damson jam, black tea, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, fresh baked bread . 
Finish: Long. Malted grains, fresh baked bread, raisins, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Sweet and chocolatey, lots of beautiful sherried notes, well layered, distinct and balanced. Lovely and well-aged, it was a real pleasure to drink this.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Grant 24yo 1998/2022

Glen Grant 24yo 1998/2022

Monologue, Chapter 7
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
51.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, rose petals, artificial grape flavour, white grapes, honey, jasmine, malted grains, cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, mouth coating, warm. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Rose petals, vanilla, caramel, cream, malted grains, honey, jasmine, hints of orange peel. 
Finish: Medium. Cream, caramel, honey, jasmine, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Cask 6454. Floral and sweet, lots of cereal notes as well. Certain estery flavours on the nose don’t quite make it to the tongue, unfortunately. Beautiful finish though, a highly enjoyable dram. Thank you Andrea!

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

SMWS 9.171 (Glen Grant 26yo 1992/2018)

SMWS 9.171 (Glen Grant 26yo 1992/2018)

2018, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
52.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, lemon zest, white grapes, rhubarb and custard sweets, honey, fresh baked bread. With water, honey, golden syrup, oat clusters, apricots. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, thickens, syrupy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Malted grains, white grapes, greengages, apricots, fresh cut grass, cinnamon, fresh baked bread, hints of cloves. With water, lemon zest, honey, apricots, malted grains. 
Finish: Medium. Pear drops, fresh baked bread, rhubarb and custard sweets, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Bright and fresh, lots of stone fruit and cereal. There some estery notes that come to the fore on the finish that stand out. Water opens it up, but drowns the complexity a little, it just intensified the cereal and stone fruit. Quite pleasant.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Grant 22yo 1995/2017

Glen Grant 22yo 1995/2017

Authentic Collection, WM Cadenhead 
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
57.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, plums, honey, kiwifruit, vanilla, hints of black pepper. With water, damson jam, black pepper, fresh baked bread, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, expands slightly, warm, slightly tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Red grapes, fresh baked bread, vanilla, black pepper, black tea, hints of orange peel. With water, fresh baked bread, orange peel, black tea, hints of black pepper. 
Finish: Medium. Orange peel, black pepper, black tea, fresh baked bread. 

Comments: 

Sweet and luscious, lots of fruit and plenty of spicy notes. It deepens with a touch of water, becomes sweeter but less spicy. Nice. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Grant 26yo 1989/2016

Glen Grant 26yo 1989/2016

Mackillop’s Choice, Angus Dundee Distillers
Single malt - Speyside 
Golden
50.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, lemon juice, grapefruit, rhubarb and custard, sandalwood, hints of cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, hot, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon juice, grapefruit, honey, lemons, white pepper, fresh baked bread, hints of lavender. 
Finish: Short. Lavender, lemon juice, cream, fresh baked bread, rhubarb and custard. 

Comments: 

Cask 11086. Quite a tart Glen Grant, not your usual sweet maltiness. The maltiness is still there, but layered over with all sorts of citrus and a touch of honey. Some spiciness as well that teases the tongue. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Grant 23yo 1972/1995

Glen Grant 23yo 1972/1995

Vintage, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber red
55.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, peaches, gunpowder, cardamom, cloves, anise, hints of black tea. With water, peaches, fresh cut grass, raisins, manuka honey. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, slippery, warm, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Peaches, anise, cloves, gunpowder, walnut skins, honey, damson jam, hints of sandalwood. With water, manuka honey, cucumbers, peaches, hints of lemon sweets. 
Finish: Long. Red grapes, peaches, walnut skins, cloves, sandalwood. 

Comments: 

Cask 689. Lovely stuff, this whisky. It’s sweet, and there’s plenty of good, aged sulphur, tasting like anise and cordite. Lots of stone fruit and jam too. Very definitely a treat. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Grant 31yo 1984/2016

Glen Grant 31yo 1984/2016

Single Cask, WM Cadenhead
Single malt - Speyside 
Dark gold
46.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla sponge, cinnamon, plums, carrot cake, honey, greengages. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, warm, static. 
Tasting:  Sour. Walnuts, cinnamon, greengages, plums, orange peel, hints of sun dried tomatoes. 
Finish: Medium. Greengages, plums, tobacco leaf, cocoa nibs. 

Comments: 

Very light, Glen Grant is, although if you can get some of the stuff distilled in the 1960s and 1970s, it was peated, and tastes a bit like gunpowder. Yes it was glorious. The newer stuff is rather gentle and subtle, this one is no different. Lots of stone fruit, and spices. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Grant 37yo 1974/2012

Glen Grant 37yo 1974/2012

Berry Brothers and Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
47.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, dried figs, plums, prunes, leather, butterscotch, dusty. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, cool, loose, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet salty. Prunes, leather, peanuts, raisins, cloves, black tea, dusty.
Finish: Long. Dried figs, cloves, tobacco leaf, prunes, raisins.

Comments: 

Cask 7646. A lovely old sherry monster, this whisky is dusty, spicy and figgy, very very sweet and complex. It was like drinking a very old Armagnac, which isn’t surprising at all. My favourite of the night. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Grant 32yo (bottled 1960s)

Glen Grant 32yo (bottled 1960s)

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
35% ABV
Tiny taste

Nose: Bubble gum, pears, honey, plums, leather, candle wax, clay dust. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, watery, airy. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Pears, plums, honey, candle wax, lemon zest, leather, bitter orange, clay dust. 
Finish: Long. Clay dust, bitter orange, bubble gum, peanuts, candle wax. 

Comments: 

Well now. This is the oldest spirit that I have ever tried, distilled sometime in the 1930s. There's heaps of old bottle effect, leathery notes mingled with candle wax and clay dust. Clynelish and Balvenie, along with some lovely peanuts and bubble gum. Glorious stuff - thanks Katie!

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

Glen Grant 23yo 1995/2019

Glen Grant 23yo 1995/2019

Cask Strength, Signatory
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
48.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: White grapes, winter melon, soy sauce, lemon juice, hints of gooseberries. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loose, cool, slippery. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, gooseberries, vanilla, olive oil, hints of lemon juice. 
Finish: Short. Olive oil, peanuts, malted grains, vanilla, white grapes. 

Comments: 

Casks 88187 and 88188 blended. It's sweet on the tongue, with some citrus, but there's a savoury overtone in the background, which then fades to bitter on the finish. It's not tannic though, the best I can describe this as is extra virgin olive oil. Very interesting.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Grant 20yo 1996/2017

Glen Grant 20yo 1996/2017

Celebration of the Cask, Carn Mor
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
53.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, lemon juice, peaches, cream, marzipan, hints of sponge cake. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, sticky, thick. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Lemon juice, vanilla, custard, peaches, pears, hints of nectarines. 
Finish: Long. Fresh baked bread, lemon zest, peanuts, marzipan. 

Comments: 

Cask 67820. Explosive, surprisingly luscious, and ooh so sticky on the tongue. There's heaps of flavour buried in this whisky. So much fruit and cream and vanilla, it's dessert in a glass. Wonderful stuff.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 9.47 (Glen Grant 24 yo 1984/2009)

SMWS 9.47 (Glen Grant 24 yo 1984/2009)

2009, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Butter gold
51.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Coca cola, butter, brown paper, smoked ham, dried apricots, hints of dried apples, hints of raisins.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, slightly oily, thickens.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Coca cola, butter, dried apricots, dried apples, vanilla, honey, smoked ham.
Finish: Short. Faint, vanilla, dried apples, hints of brown paper.

Comments:

Voluptuous and big (flavour-wise), with a teasing oily mouthfeel. Lots of dried fruit, like the good, aged, sherried Glen Grants out there. I think this was a bourbon cask though. Slow-aging whisky, but at its peak.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Grant Pure Malt NAS

Glen Grant Pure Malt NAS

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Pale green
40% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Hazelnuts, coca cola, malty beer, lemon sweets, raisins, caramel, mint, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, watery, burst of heat then cools down.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Lemon sweets, vanilla, raisins, orange juice, cookie dough, mint, hints of peat.
Finish: Short. Coconut, mint, cookie dough, raisins.

Comments:

This is called a Pure Malt, but the full bottle version seems to be called a Single Malt. I assume this miniature is a single malt also (Google seems to think so!). Anyway, it's watery and light, nothing like those incredible old Glen Grants. I think it is really true - Glen Grant is one of the slowest aging of all whiskies.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 9.39 (Glen Grant 33 yo 1972/2006)

SMWS 9.39 (Glen Grant 33 yo 1972/2006)

2006, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany
51.8% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cognac, oak, raisins, rubber bands, black pepper, nectarines, brown paper, hints of cayenne pepper.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, slightly watery around the edges.
Tasting: Sweet. Christmas pudding, oak, brandy, glace cherries, cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, hints of peanuts.
Finish: Long. Coffee, apples, oak.

Comments:

Excellent old sherry monster. Tastes very similar to the DL OMC bottling I got for my birthday. There are slight differences - this one is more peppery and appley - but the lovely brandy, rubber band notes are exactly the same.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.

SMWS 9.44 (Glen Grant 10 yo 1997/2008)

SMWS 9.44 (Glen Grant 10 yo 1997/2008)

2008, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Pale copper
59.4% ABV
Dram

Nose: Honey, brassy, lemon, Portuguese cherry brandy, wet wood, hints of ginger.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, fizzy, thickens slightly.
Tasting: Sour. Ginger, butter, rhubarb, lemons, carrot cake, hints of sweet cherry.
Finish: Medium. Rubber bands, butter, vanilla.

Comments:

A little water transforms the carrot cake into frosting and vanilla sponge, with just a hint of carrot. It gets a lot less complex unfortunately, losing the rhubarb. The whisky just isn't that balanced though, it's a little raw. A wise man once told me that Glen Grant is the slowest aging whisky - it takes about 25 years before the casks are ready to drink. On this evidence, he was right.

Verdict:

Not bad.

Glen Grant 30 yo 1976/2007

Glen Grant 30 yo 1976/2007

Old Malt Cask, Douglas Laing
Single malt - Speyside
Mahogany
50% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Sweet sherry, walnuts, oak, raisins and malt. Hints of blackberry and cherry.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, a little astringent. Great drinking strength!
Tasting: Sweet. Raisins, cherries, oak and beer. Tastes almost exactly like a cognac. Hints of "rubber band", an astringent sharp taste that all brandies have.
Finish: Long. White wine, dry and cooling. Fades to malty beer - the cognac is gone.

Comments:

I'm so very lucky to have a bottle of this! It's a great birthday present from the Pretty Lady. Excellent whisky, virtually a cognac - the sherry casks really did its job well here. It's the equal of any brandy I've ever had, and then some. I'll miss this bottle when it's gone.

Verdict:

I like this a lot!