Glen Spey 1999 15 Year First Edition

Rating: 10/23 Appearance: I just tried my first Glen Spey, which at 11 years old, was terrible. This one is significantly higher proof and older, but it doesn't look a whole lot darker. This one definitely has color to it, but I'm skeptical that there will be enough of an improvement here for this to be a good dram. Nose: Hmm, this is kind of interesting. I get a mild sweetness, like from one of those Subway loaves that is questionably legally bread. There's a light chili pepper bite with mild juniper bitterness and a hint of mint. A hint of pear. And maybe a bit of mostly-cooked chicken breast. I'm worried. Palate: Whoa! Tons of chili pepper right away. A big burn with it. Hints of pears throughout and a big vanilla flavor that emerges after the chilis mellow a bit. There's a touch of bittersweet chocolate as well. Mole sauce is what this makes me think of, a little bit. Also definitely some dry grain flavor. I'm not sure if I'm getting any wood out of this though. Finish: This is surprisingly the best part. The earthy side of the chilis comes out, along with some more bittersweet chocolate. Possibly a hint of raisin? There isn't a lot going on here, but it is pretty tasty. Conclusion This is super weird, so it's hard to rate. If you want that chili blast and light mole vibe in your life, this could be a great choice. It is rough around the edges though and I'm not sure that those are flavors I want. This is certainly better than Hepburn's Choice's Glen Spey 11 (6/23), but it's tougher to say how good this is in comparison to Glen Moray 8 (8/23). The Glen Moray is sweeter and more traditional, but it's still a kind of bad scotch. This is more interesting, so it's more likely to find someone who genuinely likes it, but it's also more likely to find haters. Monkey Shoulder (15/23) is a huge improvement over this. Dudognon Reserve (10/23) shows its alcohol more and has more of a tart flavor, but it's also a bit sweeter with more fruity citrus nuance. I think if I liked this style more, I might rate this above the Dudognon, but it really isn't my thing. As it is, I'm considering putting them on the same level because of the decadent finish this has. Without that finish, this would be more like an 8, or maybe even a 7. With that decadence though, I'm going to give this a 10. I'm quite convinced at this point that this is better than Glen Moray 8. Although this is a big improvement over the other Glen Spey I tried, it still isn't a very good dram. I'm ready to write this distillery off, unfortunately.

Nose - oranges, honey, apples, baking spices, with a faint hint of white wine and grass Taste - spice and orange zest upfront, cloves, sharp herbs, apples, honey Finish - spicy and lingering, with sweetness on the tongue at the end, a significant burn