Old old and new old Glen Grant


December 21, 2016

Xmas

The Pre-Christmas Duos
Old old and new old Glen Grant

Both by Gordon & MacPhail, the greatest specialists of Glen Grant there is and ever was. Including Glen Grant themselves, some might add. We’ll start with an old 25 yo, and go on with a very recent 1949 that was probably distilled around the very same time.

Glen Grant 25 yo (70 proof, Gordon & MacPhail, early to mid 1970s)

Many are saying that Glen Grant used to bear an even higher reputation than Macallan thirty or forty years ago. When trying some of their older whiskies, one can guess why. Colour: pale gold. Nose: ah yes, those Glen Grants. You know, metal polish, green wood smoke, pink bananas, sandalwood, and all things from a hive. In a way, you could call this a phenolic old Cognac. Quite superb. Mouth: starts slightly gritty, with some chlorophyll and green tea, but it takes off quite magnificently, with some eucalyptus, bitter marzipan, mint, and wee bits of cinnamon cake. Forgot to mention freshly squeezed blood oranges. And eucalyptus honey, the Corsican bees make some great eucalyptus honey when they are not on strike (S.! They’ll never let you in again!) Finish: not the longest ever, but all this mentholy waxy/honeyed combo works very well. Only the aftertaste is a little disconcerting, perhaps too drying. Comments: many asperities despite a low strength that starts to show. Didn’t the mentholy side come from some peat that used to be used again instead of coal or fuel for malting, just after WWII? SGP:462 - 89 points.

Glen Grant 1949/2014 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Speyside Collection, 653 bottles)

This 64 years old wonder still bears that original unassuming livery that just screams ‘no BS!’ (ach, excuse me). It gathers five sherry butts, all filled between January and November 1949. Colour: deep gold. Nose: the parentage is obvious, but this is both straighter and more complex, if that’s possible. In fact, it’s totally amazing, and integrally Yquemy (look I write what I want, this is my website). That means that you’ll find ripe apricots, bright golden raisins, juicy red peaches, and myriads of tiny phenolic, metallic, and herbal touches, with even grilled mushrooms (botrytis in malt whisky?) and certainly pine cones and needles. The freshness here is absolutely wonderful, and given that there were four first fill sherry butts and just one refill, that’s just a miracle. Mouth: I was ready to endure oak, tea, dry bitter chocolate, or even cardboard, while feeling that they wouldn’t have bottled that. Well, that is, indeed, not what they bottled, as once again, it’s the freshness and the brightness that are taking you by surprise. Of course it would have been even better at a slightly higher strength, but there, I don’t think I’ve ever found this many fresh fruits in a 64 years old spirit. In fact, the palate is exactly in line with the nose. Peaches, apricots, golden raisins, perhaps a touch of litchi, a drop of pine sap, a drop of pomegranate juice… All that on a bed of marzipan and plasticine-y wax. Truly very lovely. Finish: perhaps a wee bit short, but this mentholated fruitiness is just very, say racy. Some speculoos, cloves, and even aniseed in the aftertaste. Works well with Christmas. Comments: ah if only men were ageing this gracefully! You’re right, women do anyway. SGP:651 - 92 points.

Check the index of all Glen Grant I've tasted so far