Friday, February 23, 2018

Whisky Review: Glengoyne 17 Year

Unlike the last two samples of Glengoyne I tried, this is from the previous lineup. After Ian Macleod purchased the distillery from Edrington in 2003, they maintained a relatively nondescript set of expressions, with the 17 Year being the most popular among whisky geeks.

The spirit was aged in a mix of 65% ex-bourbon casks and 35% ex-sherry casks, then bottled at 43% with chill filtration and probably a bit of coloring.

I tried this whisky at the Highland Stillhouse.

Glengoyne 17 Year

Nose: fairly light overall - sherry, floral, dusty malt, apple cider, wine. After adding a few drops of water it becomes more floral, even lighter overall, and the sherry, oak, and malt integrate underneath everything.

Taste: light and a little thin at first, sweet malt, light sherry, floral, mild oak, a hint of something vegetal, very creamy, berries, savory vanilla, and a little pepper. After dilution a pleasant sour apple tinge is added throughout, there is more malt focus, the oak integrates nicely, and it becomes a little grassy.

Finish: sour berries, malty, mild oak bitterness, a little pepper

I went into this whisky with fairly high expectations. It has been fairly common to bemoan its disappearance from liquor store shelves, as it was an older sherry driven whisky at a very affordable price. As things stood, admittedly from a bottle that had been open for an indeterminate amount of time, I found it a little disappointing. While it was relatively mature and sherry driven as expected, it didn't have enough weight and body to make it something I was sad to see go. 

3 comments:

  1. I had a bottle of this when it was $50 and I still was disappointed. I found it very run-of-the-mill sherry whisky. It was my first & last bottle of Glengoyne.

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    Replies
    1. I think the newer 18 Year is pretty good, but I'd only buy a bottle if it was priced like Tomatin 18.

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  2. I have one of these that I've been nursing along knowing I'd never find another and which is almost finished. Overall I agree with your assessment. Nothing offensive and pleasant enough, but not really memorable either.

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