Glengoyne 21 Year

The 25-year is among the best-valued sherry whiskies available, if not the best. How does the 21-year-old perform at a disappointingly low 43% ABV? Nose - I'm detecting oaky sour and bitter notes, some sherry-influenced plums and raisins, and surprisingly, vanilla reminiscent of a bourbon cask, which is odd since this is entirely aged in European oak sherry butts. This isn't the first time I've noticed these characteristics. It's very sweet, fruity, yet also vegetal. I even get a sweet and sour sauce-like note. It's quite complex and intriguing, though not precisely what I'd anticipate. This is my fourth pour from this bottle over the last three days since acquiring it, so enough has been removed for oxidation to occur, but it likely still needs about a week. As always, I will revisit if anything changes. Taste - Immediately, you'll notice the disappointing 43% ABV, and I suspect it may have been chill-filtered, unfortunately (please confirm). Consequently, when it reaches the tip of your tongue, where powerful whiskies often impress with sweet flavors, it's almost nonexistent. Even as it moves to the middle of the tongue, it remains rather bland. Then, as you begin to swallow, something remarkable happens. The finish is a long, complex profile of fruity notes and well-aged oak, with some buttery characteristics, almost like burnt caramel (not the caramel itself, but the scorched top). You get the spice from the European oak, the dark fruits from the sherry, but there's an unexpected element that reminds me of a bourbon cask, likely originating from the malt. Regardless, for the $150 price point, it's excellent stuff, although I might opt for a Glendronach 18 currently around $160 locally. It offers great value and highlights some of the finest qualities of a sherry whisky, but it possesses complexity and bitter notes unlike some of the sweeter expressions. Score: 3.5 stars, great product.

The Glengoyne 25y is the favorite whisky of a lot of people. I couldn’t find shops selling samples of that but I found the 21, which supposedly is also very good. Well, the aroma for sure is indeed very good. Super intense and rich. Also very unusual in a positive way. Sugared black & red currants and strong strawberries, vanilla custard, waffles with butter. Behind the creamy sweetness there is a deep savory part as well - like breakfast-eggs, good warmed up olive oil. Then back to the sweet part again - now with berry ice cream and also nice gingerbread spices, milk chocolate covered raisins, hazelnut nougat. Man that is a good aroma - not too sweet, what I like a lot. The taste arrives spicy and dry. Then it slowly release heavy and deep oak tannins and just a mild sweetness. Raw dried cocoa beans, roasted coffee beans, grapefruit peel, bitter chocolate. Really awesome. The conclusion is medium almost short and not as intense but that doesn’t surprise since the taste was super intense. The aftermath is characterful remnants of the super rich taste. A great whisky indeed. I can only imagine how good the 25y could possibly be. And I can see what the fuzz is about.

This one has a lot of fame, and some people even "dare" to compare it to a Glendronach, and I can actually say this is a good dram, but nowhere near as good as old "Glendro". Bottled at 43%abv, beautiful deep copper color. On the nose is way too powerful for a 43%abv; alcohol note is very present. Hazelnut, Almonds, Orange; Cherries, Sawdust, Tobacco. Strawberry syrup and Lemongrass. Cinnamon. On the palate is nice but very straightforward. Dry. Red fruits. Sherry dim. Mostly dry fruits, and super oaky. Aftertaste is a little harsh. Oaky, Grassy, Tobacco and Burnt wood. Ashy. Overall this one feels too much as a cowboy whisky. A little rough around the edges. Not bad, but this distillery still has to prove they have game. 82 out of 100.

Glengoyne 21: she is a gentle, sweet and very classy lady. The old rule applies here “A minute in the glass for each year in the cask” don’t rush this beauty if you want to get to know her. This is a great sherry bomb with less barrel spice than I expected. Tall stills give a cleanness at the expense of perhaps a little complexity. Honestly if this was cheaper I could drink a lot of this without noticing. Don’t go crazy on the water Nose: Dried stone fruit Salted plum candy Raisins Little hint of champion ruby fresh tobacco Sherry Preserved cherry Arrival: Dark honey Ripe plums Black tea Hot rose water toffee Development: Gentle white pepper Vanilla Sherry cask woody...ness Finish: Rich and sweet Rose petal White tea notes linger

The aroma is beautifully complex with dark fruits, cinnamon, fennel seeds and it gets more herbal when you give it some time. On the taste it starts with brown sugar, dark fruits I can't pinpoint. The development is very slow but a nice ping pong between the sweet, dry and fruity oloroso notes. As you would expect the conclusion is long, dry and very pleasant. In summary, this is a masterpiece of Oloroso maturation, I especially adore the plum/cinnamon flavor combo. Certainly one of my all time favourite sherry whiskies! (92/100)

Nose: Notes of caramel, toffee, nuts, and honey come to mind, with subtle undertones of aged oak. Palate: The texture is oily and full. It's complex, featuring layered flavors and spice. The sherry, sweetness, wood, and absence of alcohol burn are well-balanced and integrated. Finish: Both spicy and delicate. This spirit improved significantly after resting in the glass for over 20 minutes and with the addition of 3-4 drops of water. A known reference, Tullibardine 500, was suggested by a reviewer below, which is interesting given the comparison I made.