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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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January 24, 2022 |
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So to speak. Glen Spey's not one of the bluest chips but I have to say we came across some pretty good ones in recent years. All these ones were bottled by some Campbeltowners, let's do them vertically, if you please...
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Glen Spey Distillery in Rothes (Colin Smith)
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Glen Spey 13 yo 2008/2021 (53.6%, Watt Whisky, sherry hogshead) 
Apparently, this baby was finished for a few months in that sherry hogshead. Colour: gold. Nose: very leafy, sour, with many green walnuts, thick ale, then a little menthol and Chinese sour prune sauce. A touch of fresh paint; some fresh-sawn pinewood. Actually firm and much nicer than it sounds, don't worry. With water: takes off, almost literally. Large moist northern-Alsatian walnut cake (any walnut cake, really), rum-soaked marzipan, Mozartkugeln, perhaps a little salsify for good measure. Mouth (neat): punchy, rather thick, with nice bitters, burnt raisins, bitter cherries, peppers, bell pepper, sweet and spicy sauce (Chinese again)… Pleasantly hardy, I would say. With water: the large walnut cake is back, while the peppers wouldn't have left the scene. So, green walnuts. Notes of grape stalk, perhaps. Finish: long, with some peppered and gingered cappuccino, should anyone ever make that. Grassy aftertaste. Comments: it loves water.
SGP:371 - 87 points. |
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Glen Spey-Glenlivet 17 yo 2001/2019 (53.3%, Cadenhead, Small Batch, 2 bourbon hogsheads)
Colour: white wine. Nose: a grassy and chalky naked one, with a bold medicinal side. Aspirin tablets rather than bandages or ointments, then myrtle and borage. These medicinal notes are extremely spectacular and unusual. With water: this feeling of freshly mown lawn that we've found in quite a few Glen Speys before. All from Cadenhead's, if I remember well. Mouth (neat): fully on some kind of dry limoncello. Quite spectacular again. Grapefruit. With water: very tense, dry, lemony and grassy. This chalk again in the background. Finish: the driest white Sancerre, just at a rather higher strength. Fully on sauvignon-blanc mode! Comments: I'm a fan of this very tart style. Some very young Rosebanks used to be like this, some St. Magdalenes too.
SGP:561 - 87 points. |
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Glen Spey-Glenlivet 17 yo 2001/2019 (54.5%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogsheads, 294 bottles) 
Colour: white wine. Nose: rather similar, but with much less of that chalky/Aspiriny side, which would make it much narrower and less interesting. Once again, the wonders of small batches of 2-5 casks over single ones are showcased. With water: lettuce and rucola, plus a touch of metal polish and eggplants. Mouth (neat): tight, extremely lemony, with abundant zests (good name for a dub-techno band, no?) With water: falls a bit. Porridge. Finish: medium, pretty nice, just very narrow. Nice earthy aftertaste, though. Comments: the limits of this 'all about the distillate' concept. Given that this is not Clynelish, right. Now I still quite like this one.
SGP:471 - 79 points. |
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Glen Spey-Glenlivet 16 yo 2001/2018 (55.6%, Cadenhead, Authentic Collection, bourbon hogsheads, 294 bottles) 
In theory, this could be pretty similar… Colour: light gold. Nose: no, there's more cask impact, some roundness, vanilla, lemon curd, then some unexpected sulphur (candles) and rucola again. Spinach leaves. With water: fried butter. Eh? Mouth (neat): I like this one. Chalky lemons and some funny touches of ham and smoky oils, while it would then get a little buttery. Suet, margarin… Perhaps a tad bizarre. With water: good fun, with a few tiny flaws actually being assets. Buttery sulphur, for example, ham fat, small green apples… Those very tart notes do actually balance the fatness. Funny guy. Finish: rather long, rather unlikely. Leaves your palate with a feeling of 'what did we just try'? Comments: to be sipped while listening to Marvin Gaye. Like, Got to give it up, extended live version.
SGP:461 - 80 points. |
Let's try to find some older vintage… |
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Glen Spey-Glenlivet 23 yo 1995/2019 (57.3%, Cadenhead, Single Cask, bourbon hogshead, 222 bottles) 
Colour: gold. Nose: yep, instantly. Warm praline, pecan pie, soft liquorice, red prunes (jujubes), wet limestone sand, bulldog sauce, dried porcinis, hoisin sauce… Love this. With water: awesome chalky development, with touches of gentian and fresh-crushed mint. Grass. Mouth (neat): just totally yes. Do I really need to explain why? Think manzanilla (I'll be back there pretty soon!) With water: tightens. Bison vodka and more manzanilla. Finish: bone dry, walnuts, cider apples, grasses… Comments: an anecdotal bottle but I'm sure anyone can still find it, should you need a champion of the grassier style. Certainly not as common as houseflies in these rather oak-inflated days. Very recommended, in fact.
SGP:371 - 88 points. |
A last one would be in order… |
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Glen Spey-Glenlivet 22 yo 1995/2018 (57.9%, Cadenhead, Small Batch, 2 bourbon hogsheads) 
Colour: light gold. Nose: aren't we becoming Glen-Speyists? Typical top-notch filler, as unsexy as Boris, but rich with tiny herbs and grasses, green peppers, green lemons and oranges, with a rather astounding earthiness. Wandering throughout a well-catered-for garden center (on a Saturday morning in the month of march, right). With water: no further developments, on the contrary. Just grass. Eh? Mouth (neat): a little hot and rough around the edges, this time. Too much beer in this one, I would say. Orange bitters and just thick ale. With water: gets rounder, clearer as well, easier, maltier and cakier. Perhaps some speculoos dipped into champagne, a very Belgian thing indeed. Finish: oh, cherries! Heering, guignolet and such. Comments: some ups and some downs but it's still a very charming grassy dram. A l'ancienne, do we say in French.
SGP:461 - 83 points. |
Signing off, but my my, Glen Spey! Thank you Campbeltown! |
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