Glengoyne 18 Year

Returning for more reviews. Today, Glengoyne 18 year. I really want to compare this side-by-side with a Macallan 18, but unless someone else is paying, that won't happen. I could put it next to a few other options I have, but nothing else seems quite right. A versus match with this, however, seems necessary. Anyway, it's 43% ABV, chill-filtered, and uncolored. They got one of those three aspects right. At $120, this falls into the reasonably priced, though not great, whisky category. At 46% ABV, I would rate the price highly, but at 43%, I don't see it as good value. Just reasonable. Color - I'm not big on color reviews, but since it's uncolored, you can see a nice gold with some red hues. This is definitely from heavily re-filled sherry barrels, and I'd guess American oak as well. Aroma - The first scent is just vanilla, oak, and a hint of sherry. With a second sniff, I'm starting to detect apple, some pear, and jam. It's fruity, but gives me more the impression of some ex-bourbon barrel influence rather than all sherry. If it were all sherry, there's some tired old wood in here. Taste - Lots of vanilla, it's spicy with many oak notes, and then that jam. If I hadn't read that it was all sherry barrels, I would assume it was slightly more sherried than the disappointing 15 year old. It finishes with a lot of sherry spice notes. The finish is actually quite long. Overall, I'm a bit disappointed as I was hoping for more of a sherry explosion. So far, the sample I had of the 25 year old remains the ideal I have with each Glengoyne – getting a less mature version of that masterpiece. Instead, I find very different expressions with the 12, 15, and 18 year olds. All are good, but when people tell me these are sherry bombs, I guess they are referring to the 25 year old and perhaps the 21 year old, which I have yet to find a bottle of. All things considered, I'm giving this a 3-star rating. The finish is so long and lingering that it elevates the rest of the shortcomings and brings it to a 3. Without that finish, I honestly could have been close to a 2-star rating, which I believe is what I gave the 15 year old.

The 10 and 12 year old bottlings from Glengoyne are reliable, straightforward Highland malts, though not particularly memorable. They represent the region's character as well as any, but don't distinguish themselves. One hopes Glengoyne might find a way to stand out with additional barrel aging. Let's see how this performs. Nose: Green grape, gala apple, pear, and apricot. Plum, raspberry, blackberry, and raisin/dried cranberry. Honeydew. Milk and white chocolate, caramel, and vanilla. Freshly baked brownie. Coconut, pineapple, and orange. Cocoa. A jammy/molasses note. Almond and macadamia. Strong oak with white pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Palate: Vanilla, toffee, milk chocolate, malt, brownie, and butterscotch. Marshmallow. A cherry pie note with more plum and raisin, now with date and fig. Dried cranberry. Orange citrus/orange peel. Cocoa. Almond. Apple, pear, apricot recede but remain present. Strong oak, clove, nutmeg, and white pepper. Finish: More rich malt chocolate, with vanilla, caramel, and brown sugar. Dried cranberry. Peanut butter and almond. White grape, gala apple, and pear. Abundant cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, white pepper, and, naturally, oak. Glengoyne has truly succeeded with this expression. It's a sherry-forward malt that avoids the overly decadent sherry character that often overpowers the style. Glengoyne's approach is deliberate. The outcome is a well-rounded spirit that nicely blends fruit-forward characteristics with a substantial dessert-like quality; this is unequivocally the finest Glengoyne profile I've experienced thus far. 4.25/5. A worthwhile purchase at $129. I'm pleased to have explored the Glengoyne range sufficiently to encounter a properly matured bottling. My next step, I believe, will be to go back slightly and try the 15 year. Glengoyne has certainly captured my attention with this one.

This review covers a 2013 bottling. This is a competent sherry-only aged spirit that shows how challenging it is for sherry-only maturations to be remarkable. Let's examine the three aspects I seek in a sherried whisky concerning Glengoyne 18: Richness. For a high-end sherried whisky, we desire the same indulgent qualities, including dark preserved or candied fruits, chocolate, and sherry spices, complemented by a thick, luxurious mouthfeel. This spirit misses the richness I prefer, with citrus and grassy notes being more prominent. These characteristics are better suited to an ex-bourbon maturation. The casks used for this spirit were not active enough, making it taste approximately 3-4 years younger than its age suggests. Depth. This is a significant concern given the proliferation of sherry-seasoned casks. These casks might offer some surprising initial richness, but one should swallow quickly before immature base flavors emerge. This spirit possesses great depth, and the casks were clearly genuine ex-sherry, not merely seasoned imposters. It can be held in the mouth for an extended period with consistent flavors. Absence of flaws. The primary detractor in sherry casks is sulfur, though other unpleasant flavors can also be present. Certain distilleries (Springbank, Craigellachie, etc.) seem to incorporate sulfur skillfully, even intentionally including those notes. Glengoyne is not one of those distilleries. This spirit is relatively clean, but a slight sulfur presence detracts from the overall experience. Nowadays, a sherried whisky that excels in all three areas above will command a high price. This spirit is reasonably priced but doesn't truly stand out as an 18-year-old should. Score: 0 (forgettable) Bottle cost: $100-120 Perceived value: $80

Nose: Deep and rich. Immediately met with a musty spice combined with dark chocolate and a coffee bitterness. Malty molasses and stewed apples and raisins are blended with subtle wood shavings and vanilla. Rich, with good complexity, and not overpowered by heavy sherry. Palate: Rich and coating the mouth. A full arrival packed with a jammy mix of raisins, cherry, fig, and marzipan. Spices are mild and restrained, including ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Dark cocoa powder and orange peel provide a bitter finish that is accompanied by more marzipan. Finish: Medium. Lingering sherry, mocha, raisins, oranges, and a creamy oak spice. This is certainly a more mature and refined version of Glengoyne compared to the younger 12-year-old. While the malty distillate still comes through in places, the additional six years in Oloroso Sherry casks have undeniably turned this into a cask-driven whisky. It's a perfectly pleasant one at that. There are no real rough edges; there's enough depth and variation from nose to palate to maintain interest. However, the significant drawback is that I likely won't recall much distinctive character by the weekend's end. Ultimately, this is a nice 18-year-old, but it's not special. [Pictured with another Californian blueschist, this one from the Russian River in Sonoma County. This rock features numerous red garnets that have contributed to a beautiful pitted weathering surface. Traces of higher pressure metamorphism are preserved as green intergrowths of eclogite and silvery phengite mica (a rock composed of green pyroxene and garnets)] Glengoyne running scores: Glengoyne 12: 2.75/5 Glengoyne 18: 3.75/4

A friend who knows my love for scotch provided a sample. I enjoyed the 12 year old, and the 10 year old was acceptable. Both had good flavor but lacked depth and were somewhat thin. The 18 year old is still a bit thin, but it addresses the depth issue. Poured neat, the aroma is mature and refined. The bubblegum-like fruit punch has evolved into a pleasant orange oil scent, reminiscent of an executive desk with a worn leather chair. The palate offers old sherry fruits in a musty wine cellar. There's a dark roast/gym locker funk that only scotch enthusiasts can appreciate. The finish is long, with aged leather and seasoned barrel oak, and the dark fruit fades away. There's a good malt presence throughout, and the quality here is high. I firmly believe 18 years is when scotch truly begins to deliver full flavor saturation and complexity, regardless of proof. This isn't quite on the level of the amazing Glendronich, but it can contend with the other well-known 18-year-old Glens L & F offerings. The downside is the cost, as many bourbon drinkers experience constant sticker shock, but I understand it. This is simply the price point for a longer aged scotch experience if you're a true malt enthusiast........88/100

Glengoyne 18 was a real rollercoaster for me. I had the bottle opened for about a year, and on occasion, I would detect tart notes on the smell. I'm not certain why that occurred, and when it did, the bottle would return to the closet. Generally, the aroma was quite engaging, but sadly, it was the primary positive aspect for me. Aroma: Milk chocolate, toffee/scorched caramel, and crimson apples. With time, the caramel develops into notes of creamy caramel and syrup. Taste: Clean, rich yet dilute, intricate, and spicy. Whispers of apricot and a distinctive coconut finish. Finish: Moderate and silky I acquired it at Remedy Liquor for an excellent cost. However, it seems all Glengoyne core range spirits have seen a significant price increase since late 2019. It's presently priced at $130. At that cost, I likely won't purchase another bottle. The nose was good, but the taste and finish were unremarkable.