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89
Peerless (distilled at Glen Grant, 1970, 46.1%)
Mahogany color. Full-bodied, thick and chewy. Incredibly rich aroma and flavors of toffee, fudge, spice cake, ripe fruit, burnished leather, and oak. Nicely balanced throughout, with a long, satisfying finish.
Style: Highland (Orkney) single malt Scotch whisky. Price: $160 (limited availability at select retailers (imported by Duncan Taylor & Co., 323/960-9065).
This is an incredibly rich, delicious, soothing whisky. The flavors are always nicely balanced and always entertaining. My only criticism is that the Glen Grant distillery character struggles to emerge through all the sherry and oak. Otherwise, it is a very fine whisky. A great after dinner dram or to enjoy with a fine cigar.
(3rd Quarter 2003 Issue-Vol. 12#3)
87
Scott Selection (distilled at Glen Grant, 1973, 26 year old, 58.2%)
Amber chestnut color. Aromas are rich and express great depth, with highlights of ripe fruit and wood spices. Well-rounded flavors are balanced very nicely, with a gentle sweetness up front that marries well with ripe fruit, becoming dry with background wood spice notes.
Style: Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. Price: high $90s. Available nationwide (imported by International Brands, 860/677-0473).
A soothing, pleasantly mature whisky. Great as an after dinner malt or with a nice cigar.
(2nd Quarter 2000 Issue-Vol. 9#2)
85
Murray McDavid (distilled at Glen Grant, 1969, 46%)
Style: Speyside single malt scotch
Color: Deep gold
Aroma: Mature. Plenty of oak, but it's clean. Coconut and citrus fruit. Background spices.
Palate: Lovely balance and restrained woodiness for such an old whisky-the wood really doesn't emerge until the end. Citrus and coconut up front wrapped in a blanket of malt, becoming dry and spicy, but not excessively so. Delicate, lingering oak finish.
General Comments: Younger Glen Grant whiskies usually aren't overly complex or impressive, and older expressions are often heavily sherried. This is a refreshing change.
Price: $150. Only six hundred bottles available (malt@murray-mcdavid.com).
(1st Quarter 2004 Issue-Vol. 13#1)
84
Cask & Thistle (distilled at Glen Grant), 15 year old, 1988 vintage, 46%, $50
A nice example of what port wood finishing should do for a whisky. The port influence (finished one year in a port pipe) has taken what would normally have been a fairly straight-forward whisky when it is young-clean, light, and dry with subtle notes of herbs and spices-and added some extra weight along with balancing sweet toffee and full fruit, without dominating. (Bottled exclusively for Binny's Beverage Depot.)
(3rd Quarter 2005 Issue-Vol. 14#3)
84
Scott's Selection (distilled at Glen Grant), 26 year old, 1977 Vintage, 53.5%, $145
What is it with all these older, sherried bottles of Glen Grant from the independent bottlers, anyway? Fortunately, this is one of the nicer ones. The balance of sherry and oak is commendable, and the flavor is clean with that Glen Grant "dried herb" character still evident. Sweet fruit notes (berries in honey, peach pits, sultana, ripe grape) along with almonds and tobacco fill out the palate. Clean, warming finish.
(3rd Quarter 2005 Issue-Vol. 14#3)
83
Duncan Taylor (distilled at Glen Grant) 1972 Vintage, 31 year old, 56.1% ABV, $155
I don't normally like to add water to old whiskies, but this one needs a little at this strength. Whether you will like this whisky or not depends on whether you like woody whiskies with lots of sherry, and whether you care at all about recognizing the distillery character. The flavors are nicely balanced, rich, and very soothing in nature, but I struggle to find Glen Grant in here. Ripe fallen fruit, chewy toffee, maple syrup, honey-glazed almonds, damp oak resins-it's all there, and it's all balanced and quite entertaining. I personally want to taste the distillery character in my whisky. If that didn't matter to me, I would have given this whisky a higher score.
(3rd Quarter 2004 Issue-Vol. 13#3)
83
Hart Brothers (distilled at Glen Grant), 29 year old, 1972 vintage, 53.6%, $160
Like many older Glen Grant offerings, this one is from a sherry cask. The sherry, and the long oak aging, transforms what is normally a light and easy drinking whisky to a more serious affair. Ripe, heavy fruit dominate the palate-the sherry is very evident here, but it is not cloying. It's quite nutty too, along with polished oak and toffee. The oak balances the sherry notes very nicely, and the whisky is clean and uncomplicated throughout, all the way through to its finish.
(4th Quarter 2004 Issue-Vol. 13#4)
82
Gordon & MacPhail Single Cask #5054 (distilled at Glen Grant) 1990 Vintage, 56.0% ABV, $65-80
Here's a whisky not seen very often in the U.S. When it is seen, it's from one of the independent bottlers. I have always felt that younger Glen Grant whiskies make a nice introduction to the single malt category-especially for a blend drinker trading up. The whisky is usually light to medium in body and uncomplicated-with no harsh edges to be particularly offensive. And so it is with this whisky. A soft, cereal grain maltiness marries nicely with floral, delicately fruity notes throughout. Gentle, dry but malty finish, with suggestions of shortbread cookies and vanilla. A nice representation of a younger Glen Grant. The flavors are clean and tight.
(2nd Quarter 2004 Issue-Vol. 13#2)
81
Blackadder Raw Cask #6437 (distilled at Glen Grant) 1971 Vintage, 31 year old, 55.7% ABV, $175
From a sherry hogshead, which is confirmed by its deep amber/crimson color. A very clean whisky for 31 years in oak, and its complexity is subtle. It's sort of the antithesis of the Blackadder Longmorn also reviewed here. Both are heavily sherried. The Longmorn shows its age proudly, and is bold, complex, and a bit rustic. This one is clean, more conservative, and nicely balanced. You'll find notes of honey-laced fruit, caramel, and toffee, with an infusion of nutty, ginger-spiced notes, leading to a polished oak finish. A straight-forward and uncomplicated Speysider.
(2nd Quarter 2004 Issue-Vol. 13#2)
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