Glen Grant 56 year old 1955 Gordon & MacPhail

(Glen Grant cluster homepage)

You ask, but Michael now what are you going to drink when you turn 56? Malört. I'm going to drink Malört.

I just wanted to reference Malört in my introduction to a 56 year old whisky.

That's it for the short paragraphs, people. I'm going to write a longer paragraph now, starting with some details about where the following sentences are going, testing your attention span. Then I'll awkwardly pivot to half-formed opinions about what makes a whisky beautiful and why whisky's not really important in the general scheme of things. Quickly I'll contradict that, cuddling with hypocrisy as if it represents depth rather than my terror of being insignificant. I'll follow that up with a sentence trying to hide the fact that it's just filler. Then, of course, I'll admit I'm wasting your time.

And now a 56 year old whisky, a thing that was consumed intermittently one afternoon while I also drank a 50 year old whisky. That's 106 years of whisky. What?

Also purchased from an LA Scotch Club event two lifetimes ago

Distillery: Glen Grant

Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Ownership at time of distillation: The Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distilleries

Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail

Series: Distillery Labels





Age: 56 years (17 February 1955 - 1 August 2011)
Maturation: one first fill sherry cask, one refill sherry cask

Cask #: 828 & 860

Alcohol by Volume: 40%

The nose has a brighter, simpler fruitiness than the 50yo, imagine peaches, figs and dates. Anise and honey. Peppery basil leaf and spicy cigar wrapper. Though it develops a note of Rolos after an hour, the figs last the longest.

Raw cocoa and carob bark strike first in the palate, followed by gently sweet pipe tobacco and just a hint of wormwood. After 30 minutes: grapefruits and tart nectarines. 45 minutes: earth and stones. The tart fruits gain strength and the bitterness retreats with time.

It finishes with unsmoked mild cigar tobacco, tart lemons and grapefruits in the early sips. Later on, wormwood and incense appear providing some dimension to the tart bite.

Though less intergalactic than the 50yo, this 56 reads like an excellent sherried whisky half its age but with just a bit more bite, weighing in around 46%abv. Nothing about it announces five decades, rather just great extensive sherry cask maturation. I know I'll get the stink eye from many folks for saying this, but I'd rather drink the 12yo that was probably distilled around the same time as this whisky. If price was of no concern......well, I'd be wondering why price is of no concern.

This 1940s-1960s Gordon & MacPhail range is likely loaded with gems, and I'd bet many are operatic even at 40%abv. They're all far out of my price range, but I'm glad G&M had the foresight and commitment to produce these pieces of history.

Availability - A few European retailers
Pricing - north of $2000
Rating - 90

Glen Grant 50 year old 1958 Gordon & MacPhail

(Glen Grant cluster homepage)

As bloggers more knowledgable than I have written: Aged spirits tend to converge in style after four or more decades of maturation. Though my limited experience leads me to agree with that statement, I'd like to amend it. After 40+ years of maturation, aged spirits take one of two paths.

I call the first path, Liquid Furniture. Leaving a whisky or a brandy in oak for such an extended period of time does give it a lovely color, a riotous nose and a high price point, but it also risks turning the liquor nearly undrinkable if the spirit and cask interaction isn't well managed. Think over-steeped tea that is also half poison. That first path is a damned tragedy.

The second path lies beyond simple description, and to capture it may require different syntax than a normal whisky review. Most of my contact with ultra-aged spirits comes from cognac rather than whisky. Once upon a time when one could enjoy grandpa-aged brandy without taking out a bank loan, I experienced a few pours which I cannot describe because they press me to the limit of language. So I anticipate handing out a hundred-word description and a numeric score will not do a 50 year old whisky justice.

Purchased from an LA Scotch Club event two lifetimes ago

Distillery: Glen Grant
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Ownership at time of distillation: The Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distilleries

Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail

Series: Distillery Labels





Age: 50 years (1958-2008)
Maturation: sherry cask(s)

Alcohol by Volume: 40%

The nose. I'm wading through bushels of dried oregano and thyme, around damp moldering tree stumps covered in furry moss and yellowing polypores. Waves of pumpernickel, browned ghee, date rolls and wormwood reach through, while in-season peaches and loquats rise from beneath.

Radiantly bitter herbs and roots meet mangoes, figs and blood oranges in the palate. A mix of salty roasted almonds and toffee chips color the background. Wormwood and maté appear late, meeting the sweet fruits well.

The finish glows with bitter herbs, tobacco and blood oranges. Soft smoke carries maté and salted toffee on and on. It concluded but I can't remember when.

105 words. I tried. The roaring nose never weakened during the whisky's 90 minutes. That stamina — at 40%abv! — feels either mystical or radioactive or something in between. I write about balance in the final paragraph of my reviews so frequently that it's probably getting tiresome. But. The equilibrium of the palate's salt, bitter and fruit has rarely been topped in my whisky experience. This whisky was a thrill, and I was happy to set it free.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - a lot more than it was in 2008
Rating - 94

Caperdonich 38 year old 1972 Duncan Taylor Rarest of the Rare, cask 7460

(Glen Grant cluster homepage)

A twist! I begin the week with some Glen Grant Number Two, a.k.a. Caperdonich, a.k.a. dumped and sold for parts. This is the revered 1972 vintage people put on their license plates or name their sons after. Though I think the whole whisky vintage thing is unconvincing, I have no reason to doubt that Caperdonich single malts from this era are splendid. That's why I paid some money to get in on this bottle split. And this is very likely the last Caperdonich review you'll see on Diving for Pearls.

As a quick reminder, this distillery was built across from Glen Grant distillery, by the Grant family, in order to keep up with demand. Though it only ran for four years at the start (1898-1902), it reopened and ran for 37 years a few generations later (1965-2002). Its production was designed so that its spirit would mirror that of Glen Grant's though it never really worked out that way. It strayed most from 1967 to 1985 when different shaped stills were utilized. According to Whiskypedia, the single malt wasn't even assigned its own name until 1977, so when today's whisky was distilled it was just Glen Grant No. 2.

Back to the hallowed vintage. Duncan Taylor somehow scooped up the lion's share of 1972 Cappies, at least 45 casks, and now most of those bottles are approaching or have approached the four-digit mark on the secondary market. If that makes you sad, just consider all the NAS Macallans selling for multiple Gs, and dang if certain things suddenly seem like a deal.

Distillery: Glen Grant No. 2 (later known as Caperdonich)
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Ownership at time of distillation: The Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distilleries

Bottler: Duncan Taylor

Series: Rarest of the Rare





Age: 38 years (November 1972 - February 2011)
Maturation: probably a former bourbon cask

Cask #: 7460

Outturn: 160 bottles
Alcohol by Volume: 53.6%
(from a bottle split)

Mmmmmmmango on the nose, like a mango custard, and key lime pie and whiff of pipe tobacco. Then ginger candy, cardamom, blood oranges and candied yuzu peel. Notes of toasted oak and dunnage arise after 30+ minutes. Once diluted to 46%abv, the whisky reveals oak spice, baking spice, ginger spice, baby spice, etc. Mangos and nectarines in the background.

Intense exotic spices (← check out that white guy note), kabosu and yuzu lead the palate. Funky honey carrying dashes of salt and nutmeg slides through the midground. Hints of cassia, dried oregano and dried sage appear in the background. Sandalwood and incense notes build with time. Reducing the whisky to 46%abv brings out a louder fruity sweetness, full of mangoes, limes and honey. Bits of earth and pepper oil hide in the shadow of big old oak.

The long, spicy, glowy finish spins bitter citrus peels, cassia, dried sage and pickled ginger, as well as hints of smoke and broken stones. The finish loses its smoke, getting sweeter and tangier once the whisky is reduced to 46%abv.

Excellent whisky as expected, though I feel it's right in line with last week's 36yo 1967 Glen Grant as far as grand quality goes. The nose wins the day, showcasing bundles of fruits alongside the spices. While the old cask imparts plenty great palate characteristics, it doesn't leave much room for anything else until the finish. Again, I'm just picking nits about a fabulous drink. Rest well, Caperdonich.

Availability - Secondary market
Pricing - ??? to ????
Rating - 90

Mathilda and Papa Eat Kit Kats, Episode Five

 The fifth in a series of relevant tasting notes:

Glen Grant 36 year old 1967 Sherry Wood from Scott's Selection

(Glen Grant cluster homepage)

It's time for this cluster's first deeply sherried Glen Grant (probably). I've seen only a few Scott's Selections with the Sherry Wood label, and this is the first I've reviewed here.

I've scootched forward to a distillation date more than a decade after yesterday's whisky, but by gum this is a 36 year old sherry cask, so you'll just have to forgive me for reversing the time travel schedule. Though the distillery's floor malting ended several years before this whisky was distilled, 1967 is within the direct-fired still era. I've wanted to try this damned thing since My Annoying Opinions reviewed it forty-eight years ago, so I'm very thankful to have been able to get in on a bottle split last year.

Distillery: Glen Grant
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Ownership at time of distillation: The Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distilleries

Bottler: the late Scott's Selection





Age: 36-ish years (1967-2003)
Maturation: Sherry Wood
Alcohol by Volume: 55.1%
(from a bottle split)

The nose leads with musty dunnage, dusty old books and ultra-nutty sherry, followed by cocoa powder and Manuka honey. A swirl of guava and yuzu juices starts in the background gradually easing to the front over time. Hints of toffee ice cream and sandalwood drift around the edges. It gets mustier and dustier once reduced to 46%abv, with a lovely oak note, as if the cask itself was much older than whisky's 36 years, and filled with walnuts, toffee and fruity cinnamon. And maybe a yuzu or two.

The big, bold palate packs in almonds, bitter walnuts, tart fruits and sea salt. Then gentle oak spice and that ancient oak note. The fruit appears quietly 45 minutes in, mostly mango and peach juices. Tingly tart limes take over the fruit juices once the whisky is diluted to 46%abv. A big salty nip gives it one additional dimension, and another arrives with a well-aged Yamazaki note.

The finish highlights the tart fruits (lemon, yuzu and nectarine), as well as dunnage and wood smoke. Diluted to 46%abv, the finish happily matches the palate.

For a point of reference, I tasted this whisky side-by-side with Monday's 25-year-old single refill sherry butt, which likely resulted in that whisky's crummy score. The difference wasn't due to a different spirit style, but rather the vessels that held the two single malts. If you haven't gathered, I do complain about casks, a lot. But, goodness, there's a point when an old cask hits that zone when one feels as if he can smell and taste the years that have passed, making that drinker all mushy and romantic about the brown liquid in his glass. This whisky's got That Thing. The fruit notes don't hurt either, but I wanted more. This is me complaining about a 90-point 36-year-old whisky. 

Next week, older whiskies.

Availability - ???
Pricing - ???
Rating - 90

Glen Grant 25 year old Royal Wedding Reserve, bottled in 1981

(Glen Grant cluster homepage)

Glen Grant released this 25-year-old single malt to commemorate the Anglo-Saxon Marriage of the Century between The Prince of Wales and the daughter of the 8th Earl Spencer in 1981. That coupling and the offspring it issued forth will get no further digital ink here. But I will note that Prince Charles enjoyed Laphroaig, specifically the old 15-year-old. Meanwhile his brother Andrew preferred 17 year olds.

Wocka wocka!

Of more relevance is that this whisky was distilled in 1956 or earlier. Its dilution to 40%abv is of some concern, but yesterday's Glen Grant glory was 43%, so......???

Distillery: Glen Grant
Region: Speyside (Rothes)
Ownership at time of distillation: The Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distilleries
Age: at least 25 years
Distillation date: 1956 or earlier
Bottling date: 1981
Maturation: ???
Outturn: ????
Alcohol by Volume: 40%
(Thank you to the very generous Cobo for the sample!)

It noses of peaches and roses wrapped in adhesive bandages. Poor things. Dried cherries and dried apricots in a damp basement. Orange candy and menthol notes push to the fore after 30 minutes.

The palate balances prettier notes of flowers and toffee with darker elements of earth and mothballs. It has a bitter side that goes well with the toffee, though it reads a bit oaky. A cayenne pepper rumble drifts through the background.

It finishes with bitterness and ash on top, grapefruit and Campari on the bottom, getting sweeter with successive sips.

This whisky hit a steadfast ceiling, probably due to the bottling strength, and came very close to getting too woody. Detecting distinct distillery characteristics is probably a fool's errand with this one. Still, it would make a very pleasant summer malt. Subtle and comfy, it's the sort of whisky I could picture drinking way too much of while grilling in the evening. But it's now nearing $400 in auctions and twice(!) that at retailers, so I'll just stick to a pilsner and Malort.

Availability - See above
Pricing - See above
Rating - 84

Glen Grant 12 year old, bottled in the 1970s

(Glen Grant cluster homepage)

The contemporary portion of this Glen Grant series is now over, having ended on a bitter note. The cluster now leaps back to the distillation days before Seagram's took over, but after the Grants merged with Glenlivet Distillers. All the stills were direct-fired with coal back in these days. Hundreds of thousands of cases of five year old Glen Grant were being sold in Italy, and the Gordon & MacPhail company was filling sherry casks with the Rothes spirit for their own warehouses.

In fact, G&M and the distillery were using the same label design for their Glen Grant bottlings during this period. So I'll be honest, I don't know who bottled today's whisky.

The official 5yo used this same design, as did G&M's 15. And both companies used the blue-gray oval on their 12 year olds.

But I do know this mini was bottled in 1977 or earlier due to "U.S. Internal Rev." appearing on the American tax stamp. AND I know this is Glen Grant. So, Salute!

Distillery: Glen Grant

Region: Speyside (Rothes)

Ownership at time of distillation: The Glenlivet and Glen Grant Distilleries
Age: at least 12 years

Maturation: ???

Bottling date: 1977 or earlier

Exported to: U.S.A.

Alcohol by Volume: 43%

Oh. From the nose one could think this was well over 50%abv. It's enormous. Orange peels, peaches and lychees in a dunnage. Grapefruit and floral junmai sake. Wet wool, weed smoke, dried sage and spent motor oil. No, I did not dilute this.

A toffee sweetness meets bitter herbal liqueurs in the palate. Pumpernickel, yellow nectarines, soot, wasabi. Just a hint of metallic OBE. After 30 minutes, pears and grapefruits roll in. Maybe a touch of Cracker Jack.

Cigarettes, soil, wasabi and yellow nectarines linger and linger and linger in the finish.

I was unprepared for this. I mean, I had hoped it would be good. But the quality here, at this age, at this strength, is remarkable and baffling. My tasting notes are bit short here because I was so consumed by the whisky.

What have we lost?

Of course one could expand that question far beyond Glen Grant and whisky in general. But for this moment, I'm going to focus on single malt. Perhaps Springbank, Benromach or Ben Nevis could approach this style today. But at this age? I don't know. At this strength? Absolutely not. Beyond those three distilleries (or maybe even including them), single malt producers have changed barley sources, yeast strains, still-firing methods, filtration, cask management and cask storage in the past several decades. Is whisky even the same fluid it once was? I'm not saying all old whisky is better than current whisky. But there's nothing like this at 12 years and 43%abv anymore.

The old Glen Grant portion of this series starts strong.

Availability - Actually, this era's minis can still be found in auctions
Pricing - ???
Rating - 91