Glengoyne 2008 sibling casks DL13643 and DL13468

It feels like only yesterday when I thought, "Wow, I'm not comfortable with all these baby whiskies distilled in the 2000s". Actually, that probably was yesterday. Today, most of the affordable single malts are from the 2010s, which makes me feel both mortal and not the intended scotch demographic. I don't mean the target demo is immortal, but clearly FOMO is.

And though Glengoyne's 25 year old official sherried beasts fuel FOMO plenty, independently bottled young single casks of the Dumgoyne distillery's spirit rarely sell out quickly. (How about that for a smooth segue!?) Because I enjoy the almost-Lowlander's whisky, I've been tempted aplenty to purchase a bottle, but have not yet gone for it.

Luckily, my whisky buddy, T.D., sent me samples of a pair of 'Goyne sibling casks both distilled in 2008 and released under Douglas Laing's Old Particular label. Both started life in refill bourbon hogsheads, then had separate final acts. Cask DL13643 was kept in that hoggie until it was diluted to 48.4%abv and bottled. Cask DL13468 was transferred to a refill Pedro Ximenez hogshead until it was bottled at full strength for K&L Wines.

I am now going to try them, side-by-side. Thank you, T.D., for this opportunity!

Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13643 48.4%abv	Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13468 56.3%abv	Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13468  DILUTED to 46%abv
Nose: Apple eau de vie with a bit of yeast. Lemon oil mixed with brown sugar. Orange candy appears after 30 minutes.	Nose: That orange candy note leads raw nuts, black raisins, and currants. Flowers and maple stay in the background.	Nose: Very pretty. Flowers, honey, dried apricot, and vanilla.
Palate: Starts with a mix of blossoms, fresh ginger, clementines, and a hint of almond extract. It gains more barley and an eau de vie edge with time. Very very sweet.	Palate: The PX cask makes its intentions known here, bringing in almonds, fudge, and a dash of salt. But it can't smother the sweet citrus note. Drinks like a much lower ABV.	Palate: Dilution slightly tames the sweetness, yet turns up the intensity of the flavor, where golden raisins, salt, and cayenne pepper reign.
Finish: Sugary mix of barley and lemon.	Finish: Sweet and tangy with orange candy and fudge.	Finish: Sweet and bitter with a dose of vanilla.

WORDS WORDS WORDS

Cask DL13643 is oh-so-close to new make, which is great! One could use it as the control element in a bigger Glengoyne taste off. Were this barley eau de vie not so tooth-rottingly sweet, I'd push it higher up the B-grade scale.

As expected, cask DL13468 offers a different adventure, but it holds onto the spirit's citrus note as it tries to fight free from the PX. It becomes a different creature once diluted, shedding most of the sherry influence and much of the sweetness, which are wins in my book. Whether neat or diluted DL13468 does read more mature than DL13643, offering a slightly more complex experience.

Ratings:

Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13643 - 83

Glengoyne 11 year old 2008 Old Particular, cask DL13468 - 84