Glen Garioch 1997 (Bottled 2012)

Rating: 16/23 This 1997 vintage marks my 1997th reviewed alcoholic beverage on my journey to 2000! I know very little about this distillery, having never tried their products before, so I'm eager to sample this. Nose: Light with subtle orchard fruit and some funk. There's a strong roasted meat aroma with a charred exterior (though not actually smoky). The longer I smell it, the more it just smells like meat. This is not a very appealing nose. Eventually, I detect some toasty grain and light maltiness, but the meat scent dominates everything. Palate: It has a grain burn (unexpected for a malt), but the proof is quite high. There's a pleasant sweetness, like orchard fruits (mild pear and apple, maybe with white peach), alongside toasted light malt and a hint of milk, though not a creamy texture. There's some lingering funk, but no youthful distillate flavor. There's also a floral note that isn't quite vanilla. Hints of roasted meat are present, but they are pleasant, unlike their overpowering presence on the nose. I also eventually get notes of cinnamon and faint ginger, and very subtle numbing clove. This palate is good, and certainly superior to the nose. It balances typical Scotch fruit, grain, and funk well. Finish: This leans towards the funky side, with a flavor reminiscent of dirty dishwater. Lingering hints of orchard fruits and toasty grain are present, but it's all quite muddled. This is a significant step down from the palate. - Conclusion - This has a good palate sandwiched between a poor nose and a very underwhelming finish. Despite its flaws, I'd rate it above Cadenhead's Deanston 19 (1994), but not by much. Signatory's Inchmurrin 17 (1996) seems to lag behind this. It's quite competitive with Loch Lomond 12 (16/23), though the Loch Lomond might be slightly better. I'm leaning towards a high 15 or low 16. I now believe this is better than the Deanston and comparable to the Loch Lomond, so I'm giving it a 15, though it's still clearly superior to the Inchmurrin. As a point of comparison, Bladnoch 17 California Red Wine Cask Finish (17/23) is in a similar range. Finally, Highland Park 16 Wings Of The Eagle (17/23) seems slightly better, but not by a wide margin. After these comparisons, I'm bumping this up to a 16.