Glen Grant: 1990 G&M vs 25yo George Strachan vs 1955/2005 G&M
Glen Grant is one of those malts that seems to really shine with extended aging. Long and extended aging. Not many malts can take 40 or 50 years in a sherry butt but this is one of them. And again, under Campari ownership there is simply no interest in promoting Glen Grant as a Single Malt with a full core range, which leaves the independents to fill that niche. Not that Glen Grant doesn’t play the Single Malt game. It does so with a huge volume, especially young malts in Europe where it is popular with coke. And so, if it is a long aged Glen Grant you want to explore, you will have to look to independents like Gordon & Macphail, who bottle some amazingly old whisky year after year. Just imagine what else is in their warehouse.
Glen Grant 1990/2007 Gordon & Macphail 40%
Nose: Naked malt, buttery roasty and oily. Feels well mature despite the young-ish age. Honeydew wrapped in fatty streaky parma ham. Definitely some young greener notes too – unripe oranges, crunchy green mangos. Celery juice. Appetising and whetting. Very ‘aperitif’.
Palate: Young but not immature. young rawish malt, roasty and toasty. Nice array of green fruit. Somewhat straightforward as expected. Soothed by touches of clear honey and oil.
Finish: Medium, touch oily and sweet. Still quite unripe.
Not disappointing! As expected, young and blossoming. Oh, potential!
Glen Grant 25yo George Strachan ‘Highland Malt Scotch Whisky’ 86proof
Nose: Yes. Full on dusty old candles and a lot of glass effect. Something ‘cooked’ like mashed potato topped with boiled cauliflower or asparagus – not bad at all really. Rich cream soda and a carbonic fizzy side. Yet also wet rattan and even a bit of old vegetable funk.
Palate: Strong glass influence. And the 86 proof feels stronger than it is here. A bit spirity/varnishy. Boiled ginger-honey, and a bit musty-earthy. Developing into old books and old paper. Tiny bit disappointing on the palate after the nose, and not easy to decipher.
Finish: Medium long, tad musty. Old books and old honey again.
Nevermind distillery profile. What an amazing opportunity to try a old and different Glen Grant.
Glen Grant 1955/2005 Gordon & Macphail 40%
Nose: Seriously 40%? This is colossal at 40%. Makes all 40% duty free exclusives cry in a corner. Thick flavours but also really really woody. 50 years in wood might have that effect. Packets of chinese medicine, teaspoon of tar or asphalt, sliced boiled almonds, bubbling molasses, spiced poaching syrup reduced to a sticky simmering caramel. Throw some old leather into that pot. Grated cedar wood, grated oak wood, and a pouch of tobacco. Similar to some old Demerara Rums. I sense some fruit in here but its really overwhelmed by the thickness of the other flavours.
Palate: Woody bitterness. Lots of those medicinal herbs I had in the nose. This must be a health tonic. Does quickly become sweeter with the rest of the woody, earthy, spicy notes arriving. And then more caramelized sugar and molasses towards the finish.
Finish: Not that long really. But wood. Wood is everywhere. At least its got these smaller earthy sweet notes about too.
Wow 50 years in the wood and it survived. The drinker must not mind more than a bit of wood. But otherwise, its plain amazing how a whisky at 40% can pack such flavour.
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