Glen Grant 20 year old 1992 Whisky-Fässle

(Glen Grant cluster homepage)

Years before other independent companies were splashing images of naked women on their whisky bottles, Whisky-Fässle was printing, get this, pictures of nude ducks on their labels. I'm not here to judge or anything, but ARREST THEM.

In less important news, the Glen Grant cluster has progressed to 20+ year old whiskies this week! Three Glen Grants from three different cask types. All were distilled in 1992, and all arrived in my stash thanks to one man with Opinions.

The first of these comes from the aforementioned Eros Anatidae series. I cannot include a picture of the label because riots have begun over lesser things, so here's a picture of the chaste sample:

Distillery: Glen Grant
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Ownership at time of distillation: Seagram's
Bottler: Whisky-Fässle
Series: Ducks
Age: 20 years (1992 - 2013)
Maturation: bourbon hogshead
Alcohol by Volume: 50.4%
(thanks to My Annoying Opinions for the sample!)

The nose says we've got a spirity one here. Lychee, limes, green apples and barley dominate at the start. After a few minutes almond butter moves to the fore and stays there forever more. Hints of butterscotch, blueberries, ocean and rose petals drift through the background. It gets yeastier once reduced to 46%abv, and a bit cheesy. The fruit has retreated and only a hint of the almond butter remains.

The very easygoing palate begins with limes, apples, brown sugar and burlap. Some mild pepper oils bring balance, as does a tanginess that grows with time. Ocean and floral notes appear after about 30 minutes. It reads a bit leaner once it's diluted to 46%abv. Gentle fruit and sugar notes, bits of bitterness and florals.

I get a Pepto Bismol note in the surprisingly lengthy finish, and I can't quite explain that. There's also apple candy, tart citrus and a moderate metallic note. When diluted to 46%abv it becomes bitter and tart and slightly earthy.

This lands plop in the middle of the B grade range for me. It's fruity but balanced, quite drinkable. No weird oak notes. I do prefer it neat, which didn't surprise me since the ABV sits in a good spot for my palate. Yet there's nothing that would make me want to rush out and buy a bottle (had it not sold out 7 years ago). MAO and Serge gave it slightly higher scores, though our assessments are similar.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - around €90 in 2013, I think
Rating - 85

Glen Grant 17 year old 1995 Duncan Taylor Dimensions, cask 85122

(Glen Grant cluster homepage)

This is the most recently distilled Glen Grant in the whole group and the one that's most likely from the indirect steam still system being used today. Whiskybase lists 115 Glen Grants from 1992, 28 from 1993, 11 from 1994 and 133 from 1995, so perhaps the stills were replaced between 1993 and 1994?

The cluster's first two Glen Grants were quite different in style, though they shared some characteristics, like sharp citrus and minerals. I have no idea where this cask will fall.

The bottler, Duncan Taylor, is better known by older whisky geeks as having The Great Stash of Caperdonich. Today's whisky is, of course, not a 1972 Caperdonich, but I thought I'd add some sentences here to pad out the intro.

Distillery: Glen Grant
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Ownership at time of distillation: Seagram's
Bottler: Duncan Taylor
Brand: Dimensions
Age: 17 years (May 1995 - August 2012)
Maturation: either a bourbon barrel or hogshead
Cask #: 85122
Outturn: 226
Alcohol by Volume: 55.2%
(from a bottle split)

The clean but bold nose leads with apple skins, wort, tarragon, oregano and simple sencha. After about 20 minutes of air, new notes of brown sugar, cinnamon, puff pastry and a hint of jasmine blossoms appear in the mid- to background. Things get interesting once the whisky is reduced to 46%abv. Something fermented and fruity appears, like a yeasty peche or framboise lambic. The sencha note gets fainter, while the puff pastry drifts towards profiteroles. A little bit of toasted new oak spice shows up, but it stays mellow and in the background

The palate is tart, sweet and zippy like lime candy and ginger candy. Apples and barley. Cinnamon syrup and cherry bancha. It remains sweet and cheerful once diluted to 46%abv, still zesty but with new subtle floral notes. Then some raw ginger, praline pecans and cherry bancha.

It finishes with brown ale, tart apples and a squeeze of lemon juice. More citrus zests and flower blossoms arrive once the whisky is diluted to 46%abv.

Though the oak remains reserved throughout, this whisky is very different that Thursday's Glen Grant. While it's still youthful, this single cask reads sweet and pretty rather than lean and punchy. I really enjoyed the tea notes, since the whisky references gentle, savory cups rather than tannic beasts. This is the first of the Glen Grants I prefer with water, and it's the cuddliest one so far. The spirit seems lighter than the other two, and I wonder if the stills had switched from direct- to indirect-firing by this point. The result was certainly not a bad thing.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - near €50 back in 2008
Rating - 86

Glen Grant 16 year old 1992 Cellar Reserve (OB)

(Glen Grant cluster homepage)

While some single malt distilleries spew special releases at a regular clip, Glen Grant has attempted very few. In 2008 they rolled out a 16 year old Cellar Reserve for about 50euro. The whisky wasn't terribly limited, with its outturn of 13,542 bottles, but it received the NC/NCF/46%abv treatment. I don't think there's been a follow-up Cellar Reserve in the 13 years since, so perhaps they had a spare 40-50 cask parcel sitting around?

Thank you to My Annoying Opinions for the sample and the French Square. Yes, that is a naughty reference.

Distillery: Glen Grant

Region: Speyside (Rothes)

Ownership at time of distillation: Seagram's
Age: 16 years (1992 - 2008)
Maturation: hogsheads?

Outturn: 13,542 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 46%

The nose begins with a clean and almost green barley note. Some fennel and tarragon mixed with a medicinal hint. Granny Smith apples, lemon zest and ground mustard seed. Once reduced to 43%abv, it picks up some more apples skins, then roots and carob, while holding onto those herbal notes.

The palate mixes a gentle sweetness with a peppery rumble. Hints of vanilla and shouts of acidic limes. It has more of a bite to it than I'd expected. It gets slightly papery after 30 minutes. The palate intensifies(!) when diluted to 43%abv. More pepper and acidic lemons. A rare example of good acidity in a whisky.

Quite some astringency in the finish, along with a blend of barley and minerals. No noticeable change occurs when diluted to 43%abv.

So, Glen Grant can be a fighter. This I did not know. It's not raw or undercooked; it's just, you know, whisky. One can appreciate a limited release that isn't an utter oak/sherry/peat creature. Like yesterday's Glen Grant, this one would probably work best in weather warmer than a Midwest winter. For additional takes, see MAO's review or Serge's or the whiskybase page. Our scores are pretty close on this one.

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - near €50 back in 2008
Rating - 84

Glen Grant 13 year old 1993 James MacArthur Old Masters, cask 121926

The Glen Grant cluster (see the series homepage here) begins with one of my bottles, purchased during quieter times. Distilled at the end of the distillery's direct-firing period, this single bourbon barrel of Glen Grant was released by the reliable independent bottler James MacArthur in their Old Masters series. The bottler had its heyday in the Nineties and early Aughts but has gone quiet over the past few years. Their website doesn't appear to have been updated since 2014, and Whiskybase shows 11 JM whiskies released between 2017 and 2019, zero in 2020. I hope they haven't closed down, but cask hoarding during the so-called boom may have hindered their business.

I opened this bottle two months ago as I began scheduling the 2021 reviews. This review pour comes from the top-third of the bottle.

Distillery: Glen Grant

Region: Speyside (Rothes)

Ownership at time of distillation: Seagram's
Bottler: James MacArthur
Brand: Old Masters
Age: 13 years (1993 - 2007)
Maturation: bourbon barrel

Cask #: 121926
Alcohol by Volume: 57.7%

(from my bottle)

Honey, mint leaves and orange oil appear first in the lovely nose. White nectarine flesh and lilac arise several minutes later. It gets louder and quirkier after 30 minutes with the arrival of watermelon Jolly Ranchers and low-rye American rye. It seems to drop to half its age when reduced to 46%abv. There's more barley, more yeast. Roses and toasted sesame seeds. New notes of blueberry pie filling and lime juice suddenly materialize at the end of the hour.

Citrus leads the full-strength palate, mostly limes. It has an oily texture and appearance. Plenty of malt and a light creaminess perch just above serrano pepper heat, clay and cashews. After about 30 minutes, the whisky gains notes of peaches and herbal bitterness. Diluted to 46%abv, it gets much sweeter. Fruity Kasugai and Haribo gummies sit on top, an acidic and mineral bite rest beneath.

The citrus and minerals are present in the full-strength finish. Cashews, walnuts and bitter lettuces mix with peaches in the distance. The finish calms down once reduced to 46%abv, calm and fruity with limes and nectarines.

I'm not sure one could ask for much more out of a 13 year old bourbon barrel Speysider. It has a bit of a punch from the ABV when sipped neatly, but that doesn't stop me from going back for a second pour every time, thanks to the mix of fruit and minerals. I'd like to think its thick texture is due to direct firing, but I'm not sure I can prove it. So I'll just enjoy it. If you have an unopened bottle of this at home, I recommend relieving the (probably broken) cork of its duties in the spring or summer.

Tomorrow, I'll review an age-stated bottling from the distillery itself...

Availability - Sold out
Pricing - $90 back in 2014
Rating - 88

Glen Grant, a four-week cluster

Welcome to HQ for this four-week cluster of Glen Grant single malt reviews! I have a dozen (oops, I just found 13) of them lined up and ready to go, including one bottle from my own whisky cabinet. These whiskies will be tasted and reviewed by age, youngest to oldest, though I may throw curveball if needed.

First, a brief history of the distillery.

Photo By S8z11

Originally dubbed Drumbain by the Brothers Grant in 1840, Glen Grant distillery produced whisky sold as a single malt as far back as the 1870s. Such was its popularity that Major James Grant Jr. (proprietor for fifty-nine years) commissioned a second distillery to be built in the late 1890s. Glen Grant Number Two (actual name) ran for four whole years before it was converted to malting floors, kilns and storage. The original Glen Grant distillery remained solely in the Grant family until 1953 when it merged with Glenlivet Distillery's company, forming The Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distillers Ltd.

By the 1960s, Glen Grant was selling hundreds of thousands of bottles of their five-year-old single malt in Italy as other single malt brands were just getting off the ground. Number Two was reopened in 1965, gaining an actual appellation, Caperdonich.

The business deals continued into the 1970s, as The Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distillers Ltd. merged with Longmorn-Glenlivet Ltd. and Hill Thompson & Co., creating The Glenlivet Distillers. A few years later this company was swallowed up by the Seagram's behemoth. When Seagram's was split up in 2001, Pernod Ricard nabbed Glen Grant. Campari then bought the distillery in 2006, and has remained the owner ever since.

Back in 1861, Glen Grant was the first distillery to install electric lighting, powered by an on-site turbine. Floor malting continued at the distillery until 1962, after which its malt was externally sourced. The distillery's stills were direct fired by coal until the 1970s, then it was gas, then a mix of gas and coal and steam. They were all switched to indirect steam firing prior to 2000. Caperdonich was retired two years later and its site was bulldozed in 2011. Now on its own, Glen Grant is one of the rare large distilleries with its bottling hall on site.

Photo by S8z11

Okay, history lesson complete.

Hints about what I'm reviewing? I'm glad you asked. Without spoiling too much, I can say that all, or at least most, of these Glen Grants were distilled in direct-fired stills. Most of the whiskies have been matured in bourbon casks. But not all. The biggest question may be: "Will there be any floor-maltings-era old G&M Glen Grant?"

You bet your gorgeous ass there will be.

I'm emptying the stables. Drinking the......horses? But just be patient. We'll start in the 1990s tomorrow.

The Glen Grants:

1. Glen Grant 13 year old 1993 James MacArthur Old Masters, cask 121926 - "I'm not sure one could ask for much more out of a 13 year old bourbon barrel Speysider."
2. Glen Grant 16 year old 1992 Cellar Reserve (OB) - "So, Glen Grant can be a fighter."
3. Glen Grant 17 year old 1995 Duncan Taylor Dimensions, cask 85122 - "...the cuddliest one so far. The spirit seems lighter than the other two..."
4. Glen Grant 20 year old 1992 Whisky-Fässle - "...fruity but balanced, quite drinkable. No weird oak notes."
5. Glen Grant 20 year old 1992 Maltbarn, Release 12 - "The sherry and oak are nearly absent, which can be a great thing, but in this instance the cask seems almost neutral/inactive."
6. Glen Grant 22 year old 1992 Single Malts of Scotland, cask 35936 - "The smoky, earthy element brings a complexity missing from almost all of the other five GGs."

Assessing the Glen Grant cluster at the halfway point

7. Glen Grant 25 year old 1988 SMWS 9.84 - "...who knows what happened with this cask, but I couldn't find any Glen Grant within."
8. Glen Grant 12 year old, bottled in the 1970s - "...the quality here, at this age, at this strength, is remarkable and baffling."
9. Glen Grant 25 year old Royal Wedding Reserve, bottled in 1981 - "Subtle and comfy, it's the sort of whisky I could picture drinking way too much of while grilling in the evening."
10. Glen Grant 36 year old 1967 Sherry Wood from Scott's Selection - "...musty dunnage, dusty old books and ultra-nutty sherry......[A] swirl of guava and yuzu juices..."
11. Caperdonich 38 year old 1972 Duncan Taylor Rarest of the Rare, cask 7460 - "Mmmmmmmango on the nose......ginger candy, cardamom, blood oranges and candied yuzu peel."
12. Glen Grant 50 year old 1958 Gordon & MacPhail - "This whisky was a thrill, and I was happy to set it free."
13. Glen Grant 56 year old 1955 Gordon & MacPhail - "...reads like an excellent sherried whisky half its age but with just a bit more bite..."

Concluding the cluster 

Sources:
--MacLean, Charles. Whiskypedia. A Compendium of Scotch Whisky. New York, NY: Skyhorse Publishing, 2010.
--Ronde, Ingvar (Ed.). Malt Whisky Yearbook 2021. Shropshire, UK: MagDig Media. 2020
--www.scotchwhisky.com

2021 will be different......on the blog, I mean

Yeah, sorry, I can't make any promises about everything else in 2021, but Diving for Pearls will take a different route than in previous years. It's going to be a year made up almost entirely of deep dives. There won't be one-week themes, there will be two- to six-week themes, often focusing on a single distillery or brand. I've previously tested this out with Ben Nevis, Glenfiddich and Black & White. But this year the review clusters will be longer and often consecutive.

I recognize this may not be a popular approach, and I may lose some or many of my readers. It also doesn't follow the current system through which we all receive information, with new data being blasted constantly in our direction. And that's fine. Whisky reviews are disposable things, but I'd rather create something more interesting for me, something potentially more constructive for someone out there or right here.

By taking this approach I am not criticizing bloggers who post a half-dozen or more whisky reviews in one sitting. That's their approach, and they cover a hell of a lot more ground than I do. I just don't have the capacity, with my health or my time, to burn through whisky at that pace. And I wouldn't trust my senses after the third pour anyway. I'm not built like that.

2021 will not only mark my tenth full year of whisky reviews, but it may also bring my 1500th review. So I'm going to try to focus, slow things down and maybe learn something. Feel free to duck in and duck out as I go down this path. Each extensive series will have a HQ/Home post with links to each review, so hopefully folks can follow along. This blog doesn't work without its readers, but it's also worthless if the writer isn't fully engaged with his subject matter. We begin again tomorrow.

Killing Whisky History, Episode 35: Dewar's 12 year old Malt Whisky, bottled between 1963 and 1975

Called Pure Malt in Europe, this DCL-era Dewar's expression was labeled "Malt...a blend" in the US. I believe this one has a large portion of malt whisky from distilleries during their last decades of floor malting. And it ain't White Label.