Glengoyne
- OWNER: IAN MACLEOD DISTILLERS
- FOUNDED: 1833
- REGION: HIGHLANDS
- PRONUNCIATION: glen-GOIN
Glengoyne literally straddles the line between the Highlands and Lowlands: The still house sits on the northern side of the Highland Line, but the whisky ages in facilities on the southern side. Though it’s not the only single malt made without peat, it’s the only one to make it a central part of its sales pitch—it even says so on every label.
Glengoyne
Aged 10 Years
Aged in ex-sherry casks made from European and American oak.
- PRICE $ · RATING
- AGE 10 years old
- ALC/VOL 43%
- NOSE Pears, light brown sugar, freshly cut grass, candied fruit, slate, new car, Red Hots; water makes the nose oilier and less sweet, with bananas and the aroma of young oak.
- PALATE A medium mouthfeel, full of bright notes of tutti frutti, citrus, vanilla, resin, and cherry cola; water brings out baker’s chocolate. It finishes with a long spicy hit, crossed with plums and strawberries.
- GENERAL An excellent drink for such a young age—light in spirit but full of flavor, with a strong American oak influence.
Aged 12 Years
Aged in ex-sherry casks and first-fill ex-bourbon barrels that have been rebuilt as hogsheads.
- PRICE $ · RATING
- AGE 12 years old
- ALC/VOL 43%
- NOSE The bourbon influence is unmistakable—oily nuts, vanilla, oak, black cherry juice—as well as a strong whiff of malt; water makes it a bit more herbal, and brings out some of the underlying sherry notes.
- PALATE The sherry comes out on the nose, along with candied orange, rubbing spices, grilled meat, pineapple, and rancio; water makes the sherry more pronounced. The finish is dry, with an echoing hint of spice.
- GENERAL Despite the mere two-year gap, it’s a clear step up from the 10 Year Old, with a pronounced sherry influence.
Glengoyne
Aged 15 Years
Like the 12 Year Old, it’s aged in a mix of ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE 15 years old
- ALC/VOL 43%
- NOSE Vanilla bean, rum raisins, banana, grilled pineapple, and a faint umami note, like mushrooms; the sherry pops out with water, along with Nilla wafers and fresh-cut ginger.
- PALATE A full mouthfeel, with cola gum, burnt marshmallows, drawn butter, and a solid pinch of allspice; water fills it out, adding cocoa powder and a more pronounced sherry note. The medium-length finish is heavy with candied ginger and leaves a bit of sweetness on the lips.
- GENERAL Big, juicy, and spicy, it has a serious bourbon profile—this one’s a crowd pleaser.
Cask Strength BATCH 4
Aged in a combination of European and American oak first-fill and refill sherry casks.
- PRICE $$ · RATING
- AGE No age statement
- ALC/VOL 58.8%
- NOSE Tight, with brown sugar, maple syrup, ashy soil, rich chocolate, figs, and bergamot; it explodes with a few drops of water, revealing oranges, ripe bananas, flowers, butter, ginger, and cigar smoke.
- PALATE Full-bodied, with vanilla, fruitcake, dark chocolate, and oranges; with water, you find coffee candy, ginger candy, cigar smoke, and Cel-Ray soda. The finish is slightly anesthetizing, with dark chocolate, almonds, figs, and menthol.
- GENERAL Drinkable at full strength, but it needs some water to open up on the nose and palate. Still, it’s a fantastic whisky, with so much to reveal.
Glengoyne
Aged 18 Years
Aged strictly in refill and first-fill sherry casks.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE 18 years old
- ALC/VOL 43%
- NOSE The sherry dominates: sweet raisins, baking spices, raisin bread, vanilla, lilies, apple pie, grilled pineapple, linseed oil, and Italian herbs; water brings out perfume and pumpernickel.
- PALATE A thick, generous mouthfeel, with chocolate, vanilla beans, cola, ginger, and dark brown sugar; with water, you find maple syrup, mushrooms, baker’s chocolate, and a bit of leather. The finish is long and slightly citrus-inflected, like an Old Fashioned.
- GENERAL An underappreciated all-star; fantastically rich and sugary, yet not cloying or superficial. The sherry notes are dominant, but not overbearing.
Aged 21 Years
Aged in first-fill European oak oloroso sherry casks.
- PRICE $$$ · RATING
- AGE 21 years old
- ALC/VOL 43%
- NOSE Intensely woody—let it open up a bit. In time you’ll find vanilla, caramel, rancio, fresh rubber, cola, ginger, and raisin bread; with water, you’ll find rum raisins and barley soup.
- PALATE A thick mouthfeel that almost tastes like a rum, for all the wood influence—raisins, rancio, vanilla; with water it shows maple, soy sauce, and a bit of a vague meaty note. The spicy finish has hints of vanilla and sweet and sour sauce.
- GENERAL A solid drink that needs time and a bit of water to open up. It tastes a bit past its prime, though—the 18 Year Old is where Glengoyne’s at.
Glengoyne
Aged 25 Years
Aged exclusively in European oak ex-sherry casks.
- PRICE $$$$ · RATING
- AGE 25 years old
- ALC/VOL 48%
- NOSE Dark fruit jam, fig jam, a box of raisins, molasses, a bit of wood polish; with water you find almonds and a loamy, woodsy note.
- PALATE A huge sherry hit—a mouthy, chewy whisky full of creosote, sated caramel, raisins, rum cake, Christmas spices, and geraniums; water brings out roast meat and jelly. The finish is long and spicy.
- GENERAL Fans of Springbank should give this a try (and vice versa). If you like big sherried malts, do not miss this.