
May 11, 2017

Glen Grant ad lib part deux

Because we have more, many more… Including an unusual apéritif…

Glen Grant-Glenlivet 10 yo (75° proof, Army & Navy Stores Ltd., 1950s?)

Apparently, their gracious majesties’ armies used to have it good, with some lovely rums and whiskies before and after the battles. Yes, perhaps even during the battles. Colour: deep gold. Nose: extraordinary, General! You could believe this is 1950s Laphroaig, since it’s ridden with ripe mangos, grapefruit marmalade, engine oil, and then wee drops of linseed oil and old natural turpentine. In other words, a painter’s workshop. Mouth: totally extraordinary. Waxy and resinous tropical fruits, papayas, mangos, jams, chutneys, a little Thai basil, peppermint, smoked beef… Better stop know, the list would be endless. Finish: rather long, and a notch spicier. Ever tried any black pepper liqueur? Some coffee in the aftertaste, which is a little surprising, but perfect as coffee always works brilliantly when you need to refresh your palate. Comments: where do we enlist? SGP:652 - 94 points.

Glen Grant 21 yo 1995/2016 (51.5%, Douglas Laing, Old Particular, cask #11332, 206 bottles)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s a fresh, pretty average in the best sense of that word, natural Speysider, with apples, pears, greengages, and gooseberries, then perhaps melons and certainly some barley water. With water: grass juice, apples, raw barley, and these melons again, ala Bruichladdich. Mouth (neat): very average again, and yet very good. Tart apples, green apples, a little lemon, green melons, then bags of greener spices, cardamom, green pepper… A very nice orchardy/peppery combination. With water: takes water well, and gets a notch more biscuity and vanilla-y. Finish: medium, rather sweet and a little thick and oily. Syrups. Comments: very average indeed, but in the sense of ‘not being extravagant’ or ‘not being diverging’. Totally a big fat 85 in my book. SGP:541 - 85 points.

Glen Grant 20 yo 1996/2016 (54.4%, Liquid Treasures, bourbon)

I agree, we should have had this one after the DL, but since the strength was higher, I had thought… Colour: straw. Nose: this one’s more divergent, with more oils, touches of coconut and vanilla, lime blossom, lager beer, tobacco… So it’s less ‘average’, and more ‘whacky’, if you like. In other words, less perfect. With water: crushed barley, damp oatcakes, apple juice. Loses its edges. Mouth (neat): nah, super good. Punchy sweet barley and pink grapefruits, then many spices. Poppy seeds, cardamom, caraway… It’s really different, and not one of the gentlest Glen Grants. With water: yes it is. Barley water… Perhaps a tad narrow? Finish: medium, sweet and malty. Brioche-y, as they say in Paris. Comments: very good, but may lack a few asperities here and there as soon as you’ve added water, as they say at marketing agencies (what?) SGP:541 - 83 points.

Perhaps another 1996…

Glen Grant 20 yo 1996/2016 (50%, The Single Cask, cask #67183, 101 bottles)

I don’t know much about this bottler, it seems that they have a bar in Singapore. And me who used to think that there was only the famous and glorious Auld Alliance… Colour: straw. Nose: vodka and vanilla at first (and that’s not un-nice mind you), then bags and bags of barley and white chocolate. With water: touches of bananas. Mouth (neat): it’s one the indies that are extremely close to the OBs, if you ask me. Apple juice, muesli, oranges, Jaffa cake. Good, square, unquestionable. With water: very easy, good, simple, good. Apples, barley, cereals, touches of white pepper, corn syrup. Finish: medium, rather oily, and rather on barley syrup. Comments: I won’t use the expression ‘appropriately average’ but there, you get the idea. SGP:541 - 83 points.

Let’s call on the old ones for help…

Glen Grant 22 yo 1961/1983 (45%, Nadi Fiori, 350 bottles)

Nadi’s one – if not the – gentleman of whisky in Italy. A true pioneer, and a very charming and engaging person. Now this looks like a Chivas bottle, or was it George Strachan? Colour: white wine. Nose: rather smoky old-style Glen Grant, with some soot, metal polish, then garden herbs, basil, parsley, then rather clay and chalk. No roundness and no fruits this time, we’ve gone back to the old ages. Although, perhaps, if you’re really listening, there might be some pink bananas… Mouth: perhaps a tad clumsy at time, uncertain, hesitating between some ashy spices and a brighter fruitiness, but full of charms, sooty, old-cellary (ooh my ears, S.), with some beetroots and simply some earth. It’s as if a part of the malt had been kilned. Earthy celeriac, smoked turnip. Finish: medium, salty/earthy. There’s a great distillery in Alsace, called Metté, where they distil celeriac from time to time. Now they don’t smoke it. Comments: intriguing and worth the experience. Nutshell, fun. SGP:372 - 87 points.

We had six last time, six will do again today…

Glen Grant 1954/2014 (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, Rare Vintage, casks #1821-1822)

We’ve already tried many 1954s by G&M (come on S., you’ve tried three of them), and only found glory and honour. Even at 40% vol. Colour: rich amber. Nose: get out of here. Amazing old cognac, raisins, woody honey (chestnut), menthol, camphor, precious old teas, 19th century calvados, benzoin, rose petals, castor oil, cedar wood, plasticine… This noses of time, and in my own world, time should be consubstantial to whisky. There. Mouth: you sit down, you listen. Luwak coffee (any proper coffee, really), ultra-black chocolate, the blackest Russian tea, dried dates and prunes, black yet silky tannins, and more black chocolate, cartloads of black chocolate. One drop of slivovitz for good measure. Never do the 40% feel too low, quite an achievement indeed. Finish: not the longest ever, but this chocolaty tannicity just works, and so do the gentiany/earthy touches in the aftertaste. It’s even got a joyful schnappsness (what what what?) Comments: glorious indeed. Now, this at 43 or 44 or 45% vol… Just saying… I know, rambling on… SGP:451 - 91 points.

(thank you Patrick from Geneva)

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