Scotland, Northern Highlands: Single malt whisky through the producing distilleries: history, making, production and tasting notes

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Glen Ord

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Glen Ord
Glen Ord Distillery
Muir of Ord
Ross-shire
IV6 7UJ
+44 1463 870 421
Owner: United Distillers & Vintners (Diageo) Ltd
Creation date 1838

Photos

From the dozen distilleries which used to operate in the area of Black Isle on the East coast of Northern Highlands, Glen Ord is the only survivor. The Glen Ord distillery has been founded in 1838.
First owner were Robert Johnstone and Donald McLennan. The company which owned the distillery, "Ord Distillers Co" changed several times from owner until James Watson & Co purchased it in 1896. Watson was a blender from Dundee and he owned Pulteney and Parkmore.
Watson refurbished and enlarged the distillery by adding new stills and considerably enhancing the malting floors.
The distillery closed during World War I and was bankrupt in 1923, before John Dewar who recently entered the D.C.L. group belonging to SMD, acquired it.
World War II was synonym of a second closing period, because of a general lack of barley.
Important refurbishment works have been done in 1960 and the malting floors were replaced by a "saladin-box" in 1961, with the modernisation of the distillery.
A new malting was build in 1968 to supply the 7 other distilleries of the group, amongst others Talisker on Isle of Skye.
A new modernisation of the malting took place in 1996.
The whisky marketed by the distillery has had several different names during the last years: Glen Oran, Glen Ordie and Glen Ord.
About 10% of the production is marketed as single malt, the remaining being used in the blends Johnnie Walker and Dewar's.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

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Glen Ord: official bottlings
 

Glen Ord 12 years
Age
 12 years
Alcohol
 43%
Bottler
 Official
Cask
 Sherry
=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
 
Colour is gold with amber glints. The nose is fresh and simple (cereal) with some sherry hints. The palate confirms the nose with a dry and spicy finish of average length.
Single malt without personality nor conviction.

The nose is pleasant, with some malt hints. The taste is rather complex, and a slight sherry hint augments the pleasure to drink this whisky which is not really known as being a great whisky - wrongly, according to my personal opinion-.  A long finish with spicy hints make me give this whisky a rather good quotation. This is an interesting bottle, not to reject right away. In short a very good whisky.
17/20
During the second tasting, the nose was rather discrete, with a hint of pepper. The nose announces a good whisky. This impression is not denied in the palate. The problem is that it tastes a bit "diluted", has a lack at character. However, the taste is good, with some pepper and spice notes. The peppery finish is too short and gives the same impression of "dilution" It's a pity, because it could have been a great whisky.
17/20
The nose is surprisingly peppery wiht sherry hints behind some nice malty flavours. En the mouth, the first impression is rather discrete, but the taste develops quickly on more complex, still peppery and malty fragrances with sherry touches on the background. The finish is rather long, spicy and smoothly malted. This bottle seems to get better and better.
18/20
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Glen Ord
12 years
Age
 12 years
Alcohol
 40%
Bottler
 Official
Cask
 Sherry
< 25 euros
Glen Ord 40%
The nose is first rather discrete. After a while it begins to open and reveals a nice sherryish and spicy dominance. In the palate, however, it is relatively deceiving, probably due to its 40%, which makes it a bit "watery". But the taste remains nicely complex, with beautiful spicy notes. The finish is lingering and amazing, as it gives the impression afterwards the alcohol percentage was higher, and the green pepper touches are still present. A amazing bottle, specially for its price... (may be it was a mistake in the store...)
16/20
Aeration was necessary to appreciate this whisky. The nose is now much more powerful and open, with nice hints of sherry and fruit. In the mouth, a very nice malty sensation, rather complex sith nice fruity hints and clear vanilla touches and some woody bitterness. A nice and warm finish, essentially marked by the malt.
17/20
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Glen Ord
Rare Malts 23 yo
1974-1998
Age
 23 years
Alcohol
 60,8%
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Glen Ord 23 ans Rare Malts
The nose is marked by some discrete fragrance, recalling eau de Cologne in the middle of a flower field. Some hints of ripe fruit too. Presence of alcohol is obvious. The mouth is rather aggressive, firstly marked by alcohol and some woody aromas, but however quite complex. Stealthy hints of liquorice are present as well. The warm finish should have some more roundness. However, it is very long. This whisky certainly deserves another tasting. A few days of aeration should be benefic to this whisky.
17/20
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Gle Ord: Independent bottlings

Glen Ord
Old Malt Cask
1989
Cask #3336
Age
 18 years
Alcohol
 50%
Bottler
 Douglas Laing
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros< 25 euros
Gle Ord: Old Malt Cask
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Glen Ord: Samples

Glen Ord
Gifted Stills
1998
Age
 8 years
Alcohol
 43%
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
An exceptional nose, both peppery and very fresh. Very expressive and very promising. The mouth is not in the same tone. The taste is much smoother than expected after the nosing. It developes on nutty/malty tastes, on a great smoothness and a kind of bitterness. However, the palette seems too limited. The finish is lingering and pleasantly marked by slightly bitter notes. A good whisky, but the mouth did not confirm the qualities of the nose.
17/20
Pleasant and fresh nose, marked by both spices (pepper) and gentle leather notes. Some fruity hints and bee wax. The palate is rather discrete, with fruity notes (banana), without complexity while remaining pleasantly fresh. Spices return after a while. The finish is lingering, marked by pepper. Nice tasting.
17/20
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Glen Ord
Gifted Stills
2001
Alcohol
 43%
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
The nose is clearly fruity and very fresh. Somewhere between peach and apple with touches of smoke and hints of vanilla.
The palate is quite varied without being really complex. Alternately sweet then bitter and finally acid tastes before coming back on the fruity sweetness. Amazing and quite pleasant even if a little higher percentage of alcohol would have enhanced the complexity of this whisky.
The finish is relatively long and first marked by nutty hints before developing on fruit again after a while.
17/20
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Northern Highlands

Northern Highlands map

Most of the distilleries of that area are settled on the wild and windy seaside between Narin and John 'O Groats, on the Eastern coast.

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Click on the map for a list of the distilleries of the area, on the title for further information about the Northern Highlands area, and if you want to make an "alphabetical journey" through the area, please click on one of the pagode roofs, according to the direction you want to follow

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