Review by: TOModera
Nearing the end of our trip, and wanted to try something different. We were in Birmingham, and the hidden away Neo-Tudor building seemed to be calling us from the ultra modernistic mall (where I stupidly passed up buying Kilchoman 100% Islay 2nd release)..
The bar itself was really nice, and looked old, especially for us New Worlders. The whisky selection was a little random, at best, so it was time to try a new entry level malt. The waitress didn’t know much about pricing, so all drams were 2 pound 50 p, which sounded pretty cool. More on that later.
Glengoyne distillery is unique in that it matures Highland malts that have been matured in the Lowlands. The stills are on the side of the Highland Line that counts as Highlands, and the maturing casks are on the other side of the line (road) which is the Lowlands.
Confused yet? Wait until one of my reviews of what I drank the other day.
Let’s see how the opening pitch, Glengoyne 10 fares. It boasts that the flavours come from “time and oak alone”.
Distillery: Glengoyne Distillery.
Bottler: Distillery Bottling.
Region: Highland.
ABV: 40%.
Age: 10 years.
Cask type: Unknown.
Price: N/A in Ontario
Color: Faint apple juice
Nose: Lemon, oak, faint currant, juniper, coffee milkshake, margarine, nutty
It smells like a traditional Highland, though there’s a gin influence and a little bit of nice coffee to back it. Not overtly strong, either.
Guess the terroir from the maturing side hasn’t really had that big of an effect, what with the lack of fruit and stronger Highland terms (/sarcasm)
Taste: Caramel, peanuts, Cajun spices, butter, salt, oak, orange rind, asparagus, slight vanilla, honey
There’s a “bar” like feel to this one, like it feels at home in a busy bar. Not that I tasted it in a busy bar, we were one of 4 couples there.
Finish: Tart berries, dry, cement blocks, metallic, apple cider with no added sugar
If you’re looking for softness, or nice fruitiness, or sweetness, don’t look to the final finish. It’s rough on the tough and doesn’t take anything nicely. Came out of nowhere too, which is too bad, as the shock really throws off the tastes and nose.
Conclusion: Nice first entry into the Scotch world, though there’s some real problems with the finish. Much too dry and not that appetizing. The taste and nose though? Almost worth it, very nice. Can’t wait to try more from Glengoyne.
Final Score: 76.
Scoring Legend:
- 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
- 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category.
- 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram.
- 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff.
- 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting.
- 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better.
- 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink.
- 50-59: Save it for mixing.
- 0-49: Blech.
Malt Runners 