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

Description of the whisky

The distillery

Glen Garioch distillery

Glen Garioch Distillery
Old Meldrum,
Aberdeenshire AB51 0ES
+44 1651 872 706
Owner: Morrison Bowmore Distillers Ltd
Creation date 1797

Photos

According to an article in "The Aberdeen Journal", the first distillation at Glen Garioch should have happened as soon as 1785.
However, other sources say that the distillery was build in 1798. The founder is Thomas Simpson who kept the distillery for 30 years, before selling it to Ingram, Lamb & Co who kept Glen Garioch from 1827 until 1834...

John Manson acquired it in 1837. The same John Manson was the owner of the Strathmeldrum distillery, which has disappeared in the meanwhile. The distillery remained his property until he sold it in 1884 to J.G. Thomson & Co, whose manager William Sanderson was the creator of Vat69. In those days, the malt from Glen Garioch was part of VAT69

.Recent research (led by Andrew Jones in 2004 for the distillery) state that the birth of the distillery was in 1794, and further pretend that the builders of the distillery were Alexander and John Manson. Where is the truth...? Historic research about more than 200 years ole facts are rather difficult to conduct, and results are ofteh led by historical interpretations...
J.G. Thomas worked together with Booth's Distilleries Ltd from 1933, and both were taken over by SMD in 1937. SMD, a subsidiary company of DCL closed Glen Garioch in 1968, together with Oban and Glenlochy.
The distillery reopened after its acquisition by Stanley P. Morrison, who decided to buy a famous distillery in each of the Scotch whisky production areas.
Alteration works occurred in 1971 and the distillery doubled the number of its stills. Stanley P. Morisson became Morisson Bowmore in 1982. The group became later subsidiary for 100% of the Japanese Suntory. The group decided to close Glen Garioch in 1994 and to sell it.
As they could find no buyer, and because of the growing demand on the market, they reopened the distillery in 1997.
The major part of the production is used in the blends of the Morisson Bowmore company, like Rob Roy.

The whisky

A propos des notes de dégustation Your own tasting notes

List of the bottles

Description of the distillery

 Glen Garioch: Official bottlings
 

Glen-Garioch

15 years
Age
 15 years
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 Forum77/100
 
From the very first nosing, it is clear that this is a good single malt form the Speyside area, with a complex character, though dominated by a malt smell. Some pepper and spice hints temper this malt dominance. The impression in the palate confirms this. A subtle hint of smoke . The finish could have been longer, but this remains an excellent bottle.
74/100
During the second tasting, the smell and taste of this single malt seemed to be better than the first time. The tasting conditions were slightly different, and the quotation has grown up to 18. The complexity allied to the sweetness revealed by both the nose and the tongue, and the long though discrete en slightly smoky finish gives the drinker great moments of pleasure.
84/100
The third nosing revealed very floral smells, while the tasting revealed a rather sweet taste of malt and oak. A pleasant finish, slightly smoked; A very good general impression.
84/100
A quite pleasant nose, with rich floral hints and some touches of ripe fruits (pear). In the mouth, a watery impression and still this nice fruit taste and a very slight hint of wood on the very background. The finish reveals some very light touches of lavender and some smoke.
79/100
 

Comment by
Henrik Johansson

Apperance: Full Gold. Nose: Straight nose is very salty and a bit chemical and rubbery. Underneath the intensive first impressions lies some fresh scents of citric fruits. Also an unpleasant smell of rotten pork. The reduced nose feels quite similar. I also seem to detect some beeswax, moss, baby vomit, a slight wooden tingle and light vanilla. Body: Very light body. Palate: Much more pleasant than the nose, and much less salty. It's a very light and gentle dram but it lacks any form of complexity and it feels very short. Comments: Not at all to my taste. I was very put of by the nose. The palate had some pleasant moments but not enough to really save it from the aroma. This whisky seems to get very mixed reviews. I will get back to it later to see if I might change my mind

60/100
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Glen-Garioch

21 years
Age
 21 years
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Official
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 81/100
 
 
The nose detects the complex character of an excellent Speyside immediately. The taste is pleasant and complex, going form the cereal to the almond or nut, though black fruit,  blackcurrant or blackberry. A long finish prolongs the pleasure of the exceptional malt.
84/100
A second tasting confirmed the fist one. However, the finish seemed to be shorter, and the taste less complex than the first time.
79/100
At the third tasting, this bottle seemed sublime to me. Unlike the second time, the taste was extremely complex, from malted barley to citrus fruits, passing by red fruit hints and even a violet taste. The whole is rather sweet, and not dominated by alcohol. The finish is very long and really very pleasant. A wonderful bottle.
88/100
The nose is rather fresh, floral with a touch of acidity. Last tasting happened more than one year ago, and this whisky is clearly dominated by violet taste. This smell and taste has been noticed last time, but in the meanwhile, I heard about the Bowmore FWP affair (French Whore Perfume) (see forum) and I really wonder if such a strong violet taste is really natural... It seems so clear that the whisky seems rather suspect to me now.
74/100
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 Glen Garioch: Independent bottlings

Glen-Garioch

Whisky Galore 15 years
Collection
 Whisky Galore
Age
 15 years
Alcohol percentage
 46,0 %
Bottler
 Duncan Taylor
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 78/100
Glen Garioch Whisky Galore
Colour: Mid amber with gold highlights. Nose:Sherry & menthol. Flavour: Light treacle syrup. Finish: Lightly oaky & fruity. Comments: Long pleasing after taste.
A discrete and slightly spicy sherry smell characterizes the nose. The taste is slightly dominated by the malt and has a certain lack at complexity. The finish is malted too, going on to fruits, with some far sherry memories. A surprising though classical bottle.
74/100
At the second tasting, this whisky seemed to be quite better than the fisrt time. The nose was much more clear, and detects nots of sherry and fresh spices. In the mouth, a certain citrus acidity appears behing nice malty notes. A beautiful finish, lingering and pleasant, with some slightly bitter hints of wood or walnuts.
84/100
Ripe exotic fruits characterise the nose. Sweetness and honey. A touch of fruity freshness.
In the mouth, the same impression of ripe fruits, a touch of plum jam. Although it is slightly more complex than the nose was, nothing really spectacular neither.
Finish seems more interesting with its slightly woody notes which appear before developing on ripe plum and fruit.
74/100
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Glen-Garioch

The First for Us (forum bottling)
Collection
 The forum bottlings
Age
 15 years
Alcohol percentage
 43,0 %
Bottler
 Jean Boyer
Dates
 Distil: 1975 Bottling: 1990
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 Forum 89/100
Glen Garioch Réserve de propriétairesGlen Garioch Special bottling forum whisky-distilleries.info
See comments of Jean-Marie Kovacs on www.whiskycircus.com (only in French....)
The nose is clearly rich and complex, with at the time marine, smoky and slightly peated notes. Sea spary hiding discretely nice fruity notes. Pleasant spicy notes enhance the whole, but rather perfumed spices, like cardamom or even clove. The mouth is at first stands backy compared to the nose but quickly a kind of ditrus acidity appears and developes gradually to something moer peaty, without losint the spicy and fruity qualities the nose revealed. A nice touch of wood as well. The finish is not really lingering, even if the memory of what just happened in the mouth remains for a while, but probably more in the brains than directly on the papilla's.
88/100
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Glen-Garioch

Daily Dram: Glaring Echo
Collection
 Daily Dram
Age
 18 years
Alcohol percentage
 46 %
Bottler
 Bresser&Timmer / The Nectar
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 74/100
Glen Garioch Claring Echo
A strange first nose dominated by quite unpleasant yeast hints. Then, some notes of relatively fresh fruit comes on top of the first impressions. I hope that the mouth will be better...
In the palate, the fruity notes are nicer, but it remains a rather flat whisky with little or no complexity. However, it is far from being unpleasant, even if those strange yeast hints appear from time to time on the background.
The first finish is fresh and quite short but it gets warmer after a while.
Not really my favourite anyway.
74/100
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Glen Garioch Samples

Glen-Garioch

Cask Collection 1990
Collection
 Cask Collection
Age
 16 years
Alcohol percentage
 52,5 %
Bottler
 Dewar Rattray
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 84/100
Glen Garioch Dewar ratttray
The nose is clear and presents hints of hay and heather behind a light veil of smoke. Rather complex, with nice floral notes (nothing to do with the violet smell that characterized the production of the Morrison Bowmore group for years) and citrus hints.
A pleasant freshness with some tingling at the beginning. In the mouth, lots of tastes, from the freshness of citrus fruit to a very light walnut taste. Between both a whole register of nice sensations. A very stealthy touch of violet, but perfectly drawn in the whole.
The finish is rather smooth, with a nice bitterness. It is long and very nice.
84/100
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Glen-Garioch

19 years 1988-2008
Collection
 Old Masters
Age
 19 years
Alcohol percentage
 53,1 %
Bottler
 James Mac Arthur
Cask
 sherry
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 86/100
Glen Garioch James Mac Arthur 19
The nose detects discrete smoky notes behind nice fruity hints. Nicely complex with its bee wax notes and it remote hints of sherry, Both very fresh and complex, this nose announces a great whisky.
The mouth prolongs the nose with its pleasant notes of wax and fruit.
Warm and lingering, very pleasant finish too.
84/100
A rich and complex nose with slightly smoky notes, a touch of peat and some wood as well. Fruit (plum) is present too.
The mouth is very pleasant with its chocolate hints and its rather clear liquorice aromas.
A nice finish too, lingering and marked by the liquorice and the fruit memory.
88/100
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Glen-Garioch

Single Cask Colection
Age
 20 years
Alcohol percentage
 49,6 %
Bottler
 Kintra
=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros=25 euros
links & average quote
 78/100

The first nose is characterized by an unpleasant smell of yeast, which dominates unfortunately leaving no room for other odors. This is the kind of nose I do not like. Hopefully the following will be more enjoyable.
The mouth is unfortunately in line with the nose. Apart from these impressions of yeast which dominate throughout, not much else ... Neither complexity nor surprise.... A relatively boring malt.
The finish is also insignificant than were the nose and mouth.

A disappointment ... That said, this whisky is technically flawless, but singularly lacks of attractions to make a good whisky ...
78/100
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Glen Garioch: not in collection

Glen-Garioch

Glen Garioch 1797, Founder's reserve29
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 48 %
Bottler
 Officiel
=25 euros=25 euros

Comment by
Johannes Sauer

Appearance: Bright amber, soft oily tears (coloured).
Nose: Massive malt with lots of caramel and white beet sugar sweetness. Soft floral notes, what the noser might call “heather” combined with – very nice – old musty leather armchairs and - somewhat irritating – wornout rubber tires in the back. Together with hefty (metallic?) whiffs of alcohol a good and complex nose but for me there is maybe a wee to much weight on the sugar-caramel side.
Taste: Very firm and round: The power of the alcohol combined with the deep sweetness mingle most beautifully together, but, alas, the old armchairs are nowhere to detect. There’s just this overwhelming sweetness backed by soft floral (green apples, unripe apricots) notes. With very few drops of water added (take care, just one drop too much and your dram is watered), the complexity increases on the palate, vanilla, white and dark chocolate praliné and creme brulée step foward.
Finish: Rather long and mesmerising between the big sweetness and sour notes between unripe fruits and rusty metal.
Conc.: A whisky which is hard to describe. A lot of fascinating impressions, but something seems to miss for a real experience. I guess bottled in this expression are some too young whiskies which disturb the complexity of the older ones. But the (now trendy?) 48% are a great strength to make a weaker dram interesting.
Tasting date: 02/08/2010
Price in Germany: 29,00 Euro

 74/100
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Glen-Garioch

1978
Age
 No age statement
Alcohol percentage
 57,8 %
Bottler
 Official
Dates
 Distil: 1978 Bottling: 22/07/2009
Bottle
 1320 btls
Particularity
 Non chillfiltered cask strength
links & average quote
 91/100
Glen Garioch 1978
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Eastern Highlands n

Eastern Highlands map

Dozens of distilleries have been created in this area during the 19th century. The area is situated at the East of the Highlands, covering the Angusshire, parts of Aberdeenshire, Kincardineshire and even of Invernesshire. The Spey river has its source in the area.
Currently about half a dozen distilleries are active in the area.

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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 Eastern 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