Single Malt
Scotland
1 Jan 1986
1 Jan 2011
This Glen Garioch was distilled in 1986 when the distillery still peated a proportion of its malt - something it stopped doing after it closed temporarily in the mid-1990's.
This bottle was part of a private collection - if you'd like more detailed photos just get in touch!
Fleshy stone fruit notably peach and a little nectarine with ginger spice and menthol peat notes.
A floral parma violet flavour with a punnet of fresh fruit and a herbal quality to boot.
The finish gives way to an earthiness and some peatiness as well.
Fruity and a little peaty, Glen Garioch doing what it does best.
I bought the sample. My initial impressions were not favorable, but it grew on me. It's definitely interesting, even if I won't go for a full bottle. On the nose, I noticed the iodine first, followed by buttery or perhaps biscuity notes. On the palate, I noted first that perfumey character of bourbon---not my favorite style of whisk(e)y. The evocations of bourbon then yielded to malty flavor immediately followed by a very spicey or peppery zing. Wow the zing. The tongue is starting to object so we swallow. The finish begins with that oily perfumey bourbon again, the peppery zings fading. Traces of oil on my tongue and the roof of my mouth. Flowers? The finish is strong, long. No, three tries and this is not my dram of whisky. But I think it's a personal taste thing. It seems pretty complex, pretty interesting. So let's give it a good rating.
