November 13, 2014

Sherried Glengoyne aplenty

In theory, we shouldn’t have the new 25 years old first, but as it’s relatively lighter in strength, we’ll still do that. And then we’ll have quite a few big younger ones…

Glengoyne 25 yo (48%, OB, +/-2014)

All ex-sherry, so we may expect something bold. Colour: deep amber. Nose: old style, old quality, this is good oldness. It is a rather smoky sherry, with some burnt matches and quite some used gunpowder, and I firmly believe those noses are assets to this style. Then our famous Christmas cakes, dried figs and raisins, the slightest touch of ginger and caraway, certainly cloves and oranges, tobacco, some black nougat, some chocolate, whiffs of mint… So yes, this is super-classic sherried malt whisky. Some Macallans of old spring to my mind. Mouth: 48% is a strength that works very well. It’s less smooth and rounded than expected – but I wouldn’t say it’s brutal of course – and rather on dark chocolate, coffee, and bitter oranges. A touch of Schweppes as well, quinine, then not-too-sweet black raisins and our beloved Christmas cake yet again. The ginger and nutmeg in the background hint at some pretty active oak. Finish: long and very chocolaty. More spicy marmalade in the aftertaste. Comments: a rich yet balanced baby, impeccable. Not many distilleries are still making this style in relatively large batches (I’m looking at you, M.!) SGP:562 - 91 points.

Glengoyne 'Cask Strength Batch 002' (58.9%, OB, 2014)

Quite loved batch 1 (WF 88). Colour: gold. Nose: this is for kids. I mean, it’s ridden with fudge, café latte, millionaire shortbread, milk chocolate and even, yes, deep-fried Mars bars (of course I’ve made that up.) It’s really very toffee-ish, and seemingly less fruity than last year’s batch #1. Maybe a little rubber coming through after a while, that’s a little more worrying, let’s see what happens with water: no, the rubber goes away. Herbal teas. Mouth (neat): powerful, rich yet ‘vibrant’, almost all on bitter oranges and black pepper at first sipping. I also find peanuts, which isn’t that common, and coffee beans. Crunching a handful of coffee beans. A touch of plasticine, which corroborates the rubber in the nose. With water: ah drop that! Great oranges, bitters, a touch of peat (but there’s no peat in Glengoyne, as we all very well know.) Finish: long, firm, a little grassier. Comments: quite unusual, and quite different from the very classic batch #1. Loves water. SGP:561 - 87 points.

Malts of Scotland have always had plenty of Glengoyne, and I just couldn’t keep up. Now’s the time to make up for lost time, but we’ll do that wild, that is to say without water.

Glengoyne 1999/2013 (54.3%, Malts of Scotland, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 13044, 247 bottles)

Colour: deep amber. Nose: a drier, less rounded and less fruity version of a middle-aged sherry monster. I also find more cognac, rancio, walnuts, shoe polish, aniseed, old armagnac, chocolate cake, cigars… In short, love this. Was that fast enough? Mouth: a big and sharp sherry monster, full of dried fruits. More dried fruits than in a fruitcake ;-). No sulphur in this one. Develops on orange liqueurs, a little tar (no, no sulphur) and drops of Schweppes yet again. Finish: long, rich, on black raisins and black pepper. Oranges again in the aftertaste. Zests. A drop of orange blossom water. Comments: what can I say, this is just excellent. Close to the OB. SGP:561 - 87 points.

Glengoyne 14 yo 1999/2013 (59.6%, Malts of Scotland, World Single Malt, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 13068, 240 bottles)

Colour: deep amber. Nose: maybe a little fruitier than the previous one, but the style are very close. A little more towards raisins and sweet wine. Rivesaltes, quality PX… Also the oranges in this are wonderful. Mouth: oh lovely, some earth, some humus, some mint and some moss on top of the classic rich sherriness. Love the liquorice and roots in this. I’ll have to try to mature gentian eau-de-vie in a sherry butt one day! Finish: long, sweet and spicy, plus a bag of oranges, both crystallised and fresh. Comments: this one’s perfect, and it’s got more ‘dimension’, with this liquorice and gang. Ex-peater sherry-treated hogshead? SGP:562 - 90 points.

Glengoyne 1998/2012 (52.7%, Malts of Scotland, Finest Spirits, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 12003, 160 bottles)

Colour: deep amber. Nose: back to the style of the first 1999, with plenty of chocolate, armagnac, walnuts, prunes, marmalade… I also absolutely adore these whiffs of yellow curry, or even red Tai sauce. And the pipe tobacco. I say ‘wow!’ Mouth: oh rather cherries this time, Cointreau, chartreuse, a touch of coffee, Italian caramel ice-cream, maybe even Bailey’s? Something a little rougher in the background (grape pips) but other than that, this is rather marvellous. Finish: long, on oranges, chocolate and slightly gritty armagnac. Mocha in the aftertaste. Comments: another great one. Aren’t we getting a little bored? Of course not! SGP:552 - 89 points.

Glengoyne 16 yo 1998/2014 (49.3%, Malts of Scotland, World Single Malt, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 14013, 245 bottles)

Colour: deep amber. Nose: an unusual one again. Starts with cooked vegetables and some wax, chlorophyll, marzipan, bitter oranges, walnuts… A little mud as well, leather polish… Not classic this time, the jury’s still out. Having said that, I adore these touches of hay and rhubarb wine that rise up after a few minutes, as well as the notes of elderberries. Mouth: ah. It’s earthy sherry this time, wilder than the others, with some tobacco, then a little Chinese plum sauce (for Peking duck), orange liqueurs, notes of leather, tobacco, chocolate… A little rough, maybe, but all remains very well in the best of worlds. Finish: long, a tad eau-de-vie-ish perhaps. Slivovitz-filled chocolate? Oak-aged sloe eau-de-vie (prunelle)? Comments: another one that’s just great, in my opinion, its just that some others were even greater in my book. SGP:461 - 87 points.

Glengoyne 1998/2013 (55.1%, Malts of Scotland, sherry hogshead, cask #MoS 13043, 238 bottles)

A lighter colour this time. Colour: deep gold. Nose: maybe refill this time, this is lighter, more herbal… I also find these whiffs of rubber again (bands) as well as rather fruit skins and leaves. It’s a little hard to nose this after the sherry monsters, I should have been more careful and check the colours. Because yes, of course colours do matter, as long as the whisky’s not been caramelised. Cherry leaves, a little sawdust, perhaps. Mouth: I don’t know. I love some parts, some others are a little too… rubbery. Preserved plums, a feeling of chalk, rubber bands, sulphur, then pepper… Nah it’s very good, but once again, the others were better (in my opinion, as always.) Finish: quite long, a little more uncertain. Comments: I think I should have had this one as #1 within this flight. SGP:362 - 80 points.

Good, let’s round this off, I believe I deserve this…

Glengoyne 37 yo 1972/2010 (63.5%, The Perfect Dram, refill sherry, 289 bottles)

No typo and no misprint wrt the strength. Some refill sherry cask! Colour: gold. Nose: oh I remember these batches. Magnificently beehivy, full of honey, mead, nectar, beeswax and pinewood. Then we have old Sauternes, fresh mint, benzoin and a whole basket of various very-ripe-but-not-rotten fruits. And fresh almonds. Astounding. With water: the most fantastic old cough syrup plus some kind of high-end cellar-aged mead. Mouth (neat): sing, guitars! Exceptional notes of litchis, bananas, honey, guavas and almonds. Even the strength is not too, err, strong. With water: maybe a notch less well-defined, but it's still super great. the sherry influence is minimal. Finish: rather long, with an unexpected salty touch. Salted tarte tasting and salmon sushis. Really. Comments: I’m afraid I’ve been a little too fast this time. Apologies. Anyway, 2010 may have been the year when you could still buy some old glories such as this one for a relatively good price. Isn't that what we could call 'the good not-so-old times?' SGP:641 - 92 points.

Check the index of all Glengoyne I've tasted so far