Glen Grant 16 Year

This bottling, along with the GG 10, is part of the now-discontinued GG range. I'll review the 10 later, but I'm starting with the 16. Let's see if Glen Grant made the right call in updating their line or if they should have kept this one. Nose: Typical Speyside. Apple, pear, and apricot. It's floral, with orange citrus. Also toffee, honey, and vanilla. Hints of white pepper and oak. Palate: Vanilla, caramel, honey, and toffee. Apple, pear, apricot, and orange. Notes of walnut and almond. Some pleasant oak and subtle baking spices. Touches of plum skin and raisin. Finish: Walnut and almond. Apple, pear, apricot, and orange. Cinnamon, white pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Medium duration. A few observations. The flavor profile is distinctly generic Speyside. The aroma is very standard but enjoyable. The palate shows improvement and nicely captures the essence of Speyside and its respectable age. The finish is typical for a 43% ABV Speyside whisky. Now for the main question. I've only tried two Glen Grant expressions, both discontinued. Without tasting the current offerings, I can't judge whether discontinuing this was a good decision. What I can say is that the most notable thing about this bottle is that I've only encountered it once. I purchased it to try it, knowing I likely wouldn't get another chance. While I don't regret the purchase, I do hope Glen Grant has improved with their new lineup. Score: 3.25/5.

This is the kind of bottle you acquire, appreciate, adore, and then completely forget about, never to purchase again. A classic Speyside whisky, the Glen Grant 16 presents fruit and floral notes on the nose: fresh red and green apples, and fresh pears (the bottle's tasting notes accurately describe the intense orchard fruits), alongside baked apples and apples coated in caramel—like dessert treats. It also has fruit-juice candies, vanilla, subtle oak, and hints of cinnamon and grass. Fresh flowers are present too. The body is rather light, bordering on watery, and the taste is a more muted echo of the nose. Add some beeswax to the mix. The finish is short and dry, with a surprising touch of herbal nuttiness, considering the dominant fruit flavors. It's a fine whisky for summer, offering a very pleasing flavor profile. However, its price is a bit high for what it delivers, and other distilleries offer similar flavor profiles that are even better (Glenfiddich 15 Distillery Edition comes to mind).

This one is also being phased out, though there's speculation about a similar new release in 2017. This expression shows more sherry influence than other Glen Grant malts, evident in the dried fruit, almond/marzipan notes on the nose, along with mango and tropical fruit. The palate is rich with creme brulee, marzipan, a bit of white pepper, and maltiness, especially with a drop of water. It's an interesting departure from the typical Glen Grant profile.

Nose: Intense, sweet, pear-like essential oil. Palate: SYRUPY, almost excessively so. Abundant fresh, juicy pears, sliced and heavily drizzled with honey. Finish: Syrupy honey persists beyond the fruit. Overall: Superb! Another FANTASTIC Speysider, though its orchard character is quite distinct, featuring more pear, lemon, and green apple.

The aroma is packed with intense fruit, honey, and malt. The palate offers complex and potent fruit with a whisper of licorice. It finishes with a gentle warmth and a rich, oily mouthfeel. The aging process benefits this expression. While I do value the 12-year-old at $50, this is a worthy upgrade at $78. A delightful Speysider that deserves a rating of 89-90 rather than 85.

Even less enjoyable this time. I've been drinking a lot of mezcal this month. The texture is good, but the flavor is terrible. Notes of bread and alcohol overshadow the faint vanilla and butterscotch. Awful.