Review by: Whiskery Turnip
Distillery: Girvan.
Bottler: Morrison and MacKay.
Region: Scotland/Lowland Single Grain.
ABV: 47.5%. Cask Strength.
Age: 27 Years. Distilled on 17 April 1989. Bottled on 20 Feb. 2017.
Cask type: Bourbon Barrel.
Nose: Sweet baking spices and Japanese custard pudding, creamy sugars brought to mind maja blanca— a sweet corn and coconut milk pudding, old polished wood with hints of lemon, mineral oil, and linseed oil.
Palate: Medium-bodied and buttery, custard city— caramel and toffee puddings, vanilla, powdered sugar pastries, sweetened condensed milk and coconut puddings, maja blanca with sweet corn, polished wood and dry baking spices with a touch of pepper toward the end.
Finish: Medium to long, slightly drying, ample cream, coconut, and vanilla.
Mental Image: Auntie’s Maja Blanca.
Conclusion: A charming single grain from Girvan Distillery, this had everything I wanted in the style— tons of sweet cream, hints of pastries, and minimal bitter oak. Some whiskies pull this off better than others, and with single grain, it is always a bit of a gamble— the style tends to be pretty straightforward, a result of the column stills and high distillation proof. Since the flavors are relatively uncomplicated and straightforward, hiding any issues or eccentricities outside of blending the cask into something else is challenging. The flavor profile of any single cask is laid bare, so that singular profile had better be good. If your band is only going to be famous for one song, it better be a banger!
Overall, lovely. I wish the flavors sat on the palate with a bit more intensity and less wood— especially those hints of wood polish— but, in the end, the whisky was quite nice and made for easy sipping.
Final Score: 79.
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 