
May 19, 2017

Little names, today three Glen Spey

As you may know, we like to do wee flights of these little known names, such as Glen Spey. We’ve already found rather good ones in the past, so, there’s hope. First, as usual, the apéritif…

Glen Spey 12 yo (43%, OB, Flora & Fauna, +/-2015)

I believe they were still bottling this one just very recently. Not too sure. There’s a little goldcrest on the label, which is ‘Britain’s smallest bird’. In the literal sense, of course. Colour: straw. Nose: we’re never been this close to lager beer, mixed with porridge and some kind of smoky dairy cream. I’m not saying this is feinty, not at all, but it is very dry. Mouth: austere, rigorous, rather narrow, malty and grassy, with a little apple compote as well. Brut cider. A touch of vanilla, a touch of peppery oak. The body isn’t too light. Finish: medium, rather grassy, with a porridgy background and a little white pepper. Perhaps a wee touch of soap and a little earth. Comments: it’s always good to test our pivotal 75-mark. SGP:341 - 75 points.

Glen Spey 13 yo 2000/2014 (46%, Berry Bros & Rudd, cask #263)

Colour: white wine. Nose: similar, perhaps a tad more mineral, with some cut grass and a chalky, flinty side. Other than that, plenty of beer, cider, and indeed porridge. Shall we call it another anti-sexy malt whisky? It’s not easy to find much pleasure here… Mouth: a little better, with a sweeter arrival, with some welcome citrus, cider apples, a handful of Haribo bears, and perhaps some seaweed. Nori, the ones they use with sushis, you know… Finish: medium, rather pleasant, with a growing sweet and bready malty side. Comments: fair, drinkable, pleasantly malty. A good drop and hey, everyone needs to try Glen Spey at least once. A fair opportunity. SGP:441 - 78 points.

Glen Spey 1991/2015 (56.1%, Pearls of Scotland, cask #800276, 318 bottles)Glen Spey 1991/2015 (56.1%, Pearls of Scotland, cask #800276, 318 bottles)

Glen Spey 1991/2015 (56.1%, Pearls of Scotland, cask #800276, 318 bottles)

A rather large outturn at full strength, was that a refill butt? Colour: straw. Nose: papers, ink, chalk, cardboard, not much else. Perhaps wee whiffs of fern? Pot-pourri? All that is just murmuring… With water: hints of vanilla and barley syrup. Mouth (neat): malty and grassy, with touches of roasted nuts, cereals, grass, lemon, cereals, grass, lemon, cereals, grass, lemon… With water: same. A grassy bitterness in the background. Finish: medium, grassy, malty… Hints of bitter beer. Comments: it’s the oldest, and yet the simplest of them three. Elementary malt whisky, perhaps rather fillers for blends? SGP:341 - 72 points.

Not the most entrancing session ever, I agree. Tomorrow, it's going to be seventeen Brora 1972! If only…

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