Glen Garioch 21 Year Old (LotG) – 56.4% abv

Info: Distilled 1993 and aged in a bourbon cask for 21 years. Cask #798 yielded 250 bottles at natural cask strength. Bottled by Lady of the Glen.
Colour: Straw yellow, very natural looking.
Nose: Strong, creamy and full of sunny citrus tropical. After a moment a gentle smokiness comes out along with dry dunnage warehouse notes.
Palate: Thick and powerful on the palate with plenty of spice, ripe tropical fruits, old malt and some butteriness.
Finish: Spicey and fresher than expected, quite long in length. Old malt sweetness sticks around.
Water: Old drams should not be drowned with water, however this dram is so powerful it can take a reasonable glug, which really helps open it up and smooth it out, bringing out a bit more creaminess and reducing the spices a little. It becomes easier and more enjoyable.
Thoughts: Glen Garioch is a great little distillery that we don’t see enough of, and this single cask bottling of it is great, if a little bit spicy for my palate – nothing a drop of water didn’t help with however!
Available: Lady Of The Glen – £94 (35 being sold via the website)

Thanks to Lady of the Glen for the sample.