Glen Spey 16yo 2008/2024

Glen Spey 16y 2008/2024

The Single Cask
Single malt - Speyside
Amber gold
58.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Peaches, nectarines, malted grains, orange peel, white pepper, hints of smoke. With water, malted grains, pear, nectarines. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, volatile, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White pepper, smoke, germolene, tobacco leaf, nectarines, white wine, orange peel. With water, coffee, peat, smoke, germolene. 
Finish: Long. Coffee, smoke, nectarines, white wine. 

Comments: 

Cask 801879. Ex-Islay cask, peppery but also orangey, full of stone fruit? And quite sweet. Water brings out more bitterness, with peat, smoke and coffee. It’s a nice long semi-sweet finish too.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Spey 10yo 2011/2022

Glen Spey 10yo 2011/2022

James Eadie
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
46% ABV

Dram

Nose: Lemon juice, gooseberries, white grapes, yoghurt, malted grains, white pepper, hints of sour cream. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, hot, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Sour. Lemon juice, peaches, cinder toffee, malted grains, vanilla, fresh cut grass, white pepper. 
Finish: Long. Cinder toffee, lemon juice, fresh cut grass, gooseberries, hints of sour cream. 

Comments: 

Casks 801625 and 801626. Lactic whisky, lots of fruity notes, but those are under a thick layer of sour cream. It’s grassy and green as well, especially on the finish.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Spey 12yo Flora and Fauna

Glen Spey 12yo Flora and Fauna

Official bottling 
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, rose water, yoghurt, toffee, brown sugar, cloves. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, tingly, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Raisins, cinder toffee, black tea, cloves, burnt sugar, tyre rubber. 
Finish: Medium. Cinder toffee, burnt sugar, raisins, honey. 

Comments: 

I was surprised that I’d hadn’t had this Flora and Fauna bottling yet. However I found it sulphurous and a little one-dimensional. Sweet with sulphur, which obscures some of the complexity. 

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Spey 12yo 2009/2022

Glen Spey 12yo 2009/2022

Hidden Spirits Whisky Company
Single malt - Speyside
Straw
53.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Milk, yoghurt, hibiscus, honey, lemon zest, toffee, hints of bananas. With water, condensed milk, toffee, lemon zest, honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, loosens, tingly, airy. 
Tasting:  Sour. Yoghurt, cream, butterscotch, nutmeg, hibiscus, ginseng, hints of white pepper. With water, butterscotch, condensed milk, vanilla, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Ginseng, toffee, nutmeg, white pepper. 

Comments: 

Very lactic, not typical for this distillery. Also paired with some tart notes, although with water, a little bit of sweetness appears. Lots of herbal spice in the background too.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Spey 26yo 1994/2021

Glen Spey 26yo 1994/2021

Carn Mor
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber brown
44.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange peel, sandalwood, honey, papayas, hints of leather. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, sticky, thickens, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Sandalwood, red grapes, raisins, strawberries, damson jam, oats, dark chocolate, hints of orange peel. 
Finish: Long. Dark chocolate, golden syrup, oats, damson jam, leather. 

Comments: 

Rather lovely, lots of sticky jammy notes interspersed with cereal. Glen Spey is not a distillery I am familiar with, but this is an expression that stands out. An excellent example of well-aged Speyside.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Spey 30yo 1976/2006

Glen Spey 30yo 1976/2006

First Cask, The Malt Whisky Circle 
Single malt - Speyside 
Bright gold
46% ABV
Dram

Nose: Papayas, white grapes, gooseberries, leather, green apples, hints of honey. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, warm, tingly, expands. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. White grapes, honey, leather, malted grains, green apples, canned peaches, hints of gooseberries. 
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, malted grains, honey, gooseberries. 

Comments: 

Cask 361. Brightly coloured, brightly flavoured. Lots of fruit and a bit of cereal, but all overlaid with a nice helping of old bottle effect. It’s complex without being overwhelming, which some higher strength whiskies can be. Delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glen Spey 26 yo 1988/2014

Glen Spey 26 yo 1988/2014

35, Maltbarn
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
43.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raspberries, cream, cola nuts, brass polish, hints of sarsaparilla. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, slippery, slightly chewy. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. Cola nuts, vanilla, brass polish, orange peel, honey, hints of chocolate. 
Finish: Medium. Cream, honey, chocolate, hints of raspberries. 

Comments: 

Mild and gentle, slightly metallic (that's the brass polish) with some good fruitiness. It doesn't really perk up much till the finish, where there's waves of cream and honey and chocolate. I couldn't quite get into this, it's good whisky but maybe slightly tired.

Verdict:

Not bad.

SMWS 80.7 (Glen Spey 16 yo 1998/2015)

SMWS 80.7 (Glen Spey 16 yo 1998/2015)

2015, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
54.5% ABV
Dram

Nose: Walnuts, blueberries, sponge cake, vanilla, toasted coconut, hints of cream. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, syrupy, sticky, mouth coating. 
Tasting:  Sweet sour. White grapes, blueberries, sponge cake, toast, prunes. 
Finish: Medium. Blueberries, white grapes, sponge cake, bananas. 

Comments: 

A Sauternes cask (second fill I believe). The dessert wine influence is evident, loads of toasty coconut, sweet nutty flavours. Blueberry jam sponge? Very close to that. Lots of white grapes on the tongue and in the finish. Good whisky.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glen Spey 12 yo 1995/2008

Glen Spey 12 yo 1995/2008

Connoisseur's Choice, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside
Light gold
43% ABV
Dram

Nose: Butter, oats, lemons, walnuts, leather, hints of peat, hints of peanuts.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, warm, tingly.
Tasting: Bitter sour. Walnuts, butter, lemons, leather, peat, new plastic, peanuts, hints of roses.
Finish: Short. Leather, new plastic, lemons, hints of roses.

Comments:

Bitter sweet on the tongue, after a very fragrant, sweet nose. Not much grassy character, like Glen Spey is supposed to have, but there's a chemical whiff of new plastic. It's not unpleasant, almost floral. Quite drinkable.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 80.5 (Glen Spey 20 yo 1985/2005)

SMWS 80.5 (Glen Spey 20 yo 1985/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Silvery gold
52.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Vanilla, honey, toast, butter, antiseptic, hints of marzipan, hints of peat.
Mouthfeel: Light body, static, slightly tingly, hot.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Oranges, vanilla, honey, butter, marzipan, burnt sugar, brown paper, sherry.
Finish: Medium. Chillies, burnt sugar, honey, vanilla.

Comments:

Sherry?! Where does this come from? The whisky is from a refill hoggie! It's definitely there though. This whisky is confusing - there's a bitter burnt sugar edge to it, with sharp poky elements of antiseptic and chillies, but swimming in sweet soft notes like honey, butter and vanilla.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 80.3 (Glen Spey 20 yo 1985/2005)

SMWS 80.3 (Glen Spey 20 yo 1985/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
White wine
51.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, white wine, milk chocolate, plums, peaches, baked apples, hints of butter.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, dry, slightly astringent, turns watery.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Chocolate, vanilla, white wine, plums, butter, milk, hints of nutmeg.
Finish: Medium. Milk, orange peel, nutmeg.

Comments:

Light and appetising, would be brilliant as an aperitif. Gets me salivating due to the dryness - a texture reminiscent of crisp Chardonnay. Delicious.

Verdict:

I like this a lot.