Glenkinchie Distillers Edition

Getting back to my sample pile, I picked up a peated Glenturret...no not today, Copper Dog?...not in the mood for a bourbon. Ah, Glenkinchie Distiller’s Edition looks good. A nice Lowland malt is what tonight calls for. I reviewed the 12 a while back and I remember enjoying it. Let’s see what a year in Amontillado sherry casks can do. Like the 12, this is bottled at 43%, is chill filtered and has colorant added making this a solid amber. The nose has very nice, if not somewhat subdued, sherry. Apples, raisins, vanilla and sherry soaked oak. Lots of caramel and toffee, then the Amontillado sherry really starts to come through with a little more time in the glass. Chocolate oranges, cocoa powder, nutmeg, almonds and hazelnut. A mild tobacco note and some cinnamon. A very light mineral note that’s buried way down deep along side some mint. Some florals and black tea, grassy. Lightly honeyed and malty, some weak coffee. The bottom of the glass reveals a bit of a sourdough note. Quite complex if the right amount of patience is applied. A lovely sweet and spicy sherry arrival on the palate. Somewhat bitter dark chocolate, chocolate sauce. A little more bitterness comes out but it’s never in danger of being too bitter. Walnuts and hazelnut, oranges and tangerines, but caramelized. Vanilla, Earl Grey tea, honeyed apples and pears, some cinnamon and nutmeg. The palate is nowhere near as complex as the nose, but no less enjoyable. A medium bodied mouthfeel that is silky smooth and oily at times, mouthwatering. The finish is medium long with sherry, chocolate, hazelnut, wood spice and is dry. Looking back at my tasting notes of the 12, it would seem that this is the same stuff with chocolate poured all over it, and I’m not complaining. It’s not blow you away good, but it is incredibly solid. A bit on the pricey side, but that’s Diageo for you. Time is really needed here to let the flavors develop and evolve enough to fully appreciate them. Very flavorful for a Lowland malt. Thanks to a friend for the sample. A solid 4 Cheers

The intensely smoky scotches are quite prominent. Perhaps even a bit slutty. Maybe that's why I adore them despite my aspiration to be refined. The sweet Highland and Speyside malts get a lot of attention for their sophisticated presentation. They are the stars of the show. Lowland spirits don't receive much admiration. They generally lack boldness. They are somewhat like Cinderella. Easily ignored or pushed around, perhaps they are wallflowers. But sometimes (more and more often in my experience) you grow tired of the artificiality and heavy makeup of the attention-seeking types. That's when you realize the understated charm of a local spirit is exactly what you desire, and you're content not to be competing for fleeting encounters. This particular expression is the ideal illustration. The nose offers little beyond a tempting hint of vanilla as she passes, giving you a shy yet welcoming look. You don't want to seem intrusive, so you excuse yourself and follow, with a backup plan to inquire about the restroom if she appears apprehensive. No, she seems pleased by your approach. The conversation is light, but she is pleasant and easy to engage with. Not overly sweet, no nectar or overripe fruit. Just a bit of heather and the vanilla that initially caught your attention. She makes a wry comment then quickly checks to see if she's offended. Your sincere laughter reassures her you're amused, if slightly surprised. She gains confidence and introduces a nutty character, but only in an endearing way. She suddenly announces she must depart, but you can sense her regret at ending your discussion prematurely. And just like that, she's gone. Or is she? Your thoughts linger on her for the rest of the evening. You ponder the possibility of seeing her again, and somehow the other spirits, the ones you know you'll return to for physical satisfaction, seem rather gaudy in comparison.

I picked up this bottle a couple of months back from the bottom shelf at a large ABC store in downtown Richmond since I hadn't tried it before. The only other similar bottle I'd sampled was the 12 year. This Lowland distillery is situated just a few miles from Edinburgh. Distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2016, this expression is at least 11 years old. It underwent a secondary maturation in Amontillado sherry casks. The color is light copper, and it leaves numerous oily legs in the glass. The ABV is 43%. The aroma is quite engaging once it has a chance to breathe. Delicate sherry and red berries combine with unique floral notes and a touch of spearmint. Oak spices are subtle, appearing and disappearing with each inhalation. An interesting beginning... The taste is where the experience starts to fade. The texture is very light, yet oily. I only detected some sherry notes and a mild oak character. It's largely uninteresting, with no warmth. The conclusion is practically nonexistent. It's brief, easily missed. The oiliness vanishes too, becoming dry for some reason. A trace of oak reappears, but as mentioned, it disappears rapidly. Ultimately, what began with such promise quickly dissipated. Perhaps 'dissipated' isn't the right word – nothing really emerged. It's an acceptable drink, and I think I spent about $60. While that's inexpensive for my usual spending, it's not a great value for this particular bottle. I wouldn't suggest this one for experienced whisky enthusiasts, though it might suit a beginner. 2.75 stars. Enjoy.

Glenkinchie and most lowland single malts aim for a dry, grassy, and earthy profile. So, a sherry cask finish for the rather uninspiring, low-key standard 12-year-old Glenkinchie makes sense, with amontillado being an earthy, dry, light sherry. However, the necessity of a sherry cask is questionable. Why not mature this distiller's edition for 12 years in bourbon, then finish it for an extra 4 years in the same bourbon cask and bottle it at 46%? At its peak, this Glenkinchie DE resembles a maltier Highland Park on the nose. It offers a pleasant burst of bright fruits over a foundation of honey, hay, and cereal, with a hint of heathery smoke at the end. Yet, the longer one experiences this whisky, the more the sherry feels out of place. Towards the end of the palate and on the finish, this malt seems to desire a rough, rugged, and grassy character. The fruity notes from the sherry feel like forcing a tomboy to be a ballerina. This distillery needs more age and higher ABV. Diageo's special releases (20-year in 2010 and 24-year in 2016) are excellent, though costly, demonstrations of this distillery's potential. I am reasonably content with this bottle given the discounted price I paid. It was only $1 more than the standard Glenkinchie at the same shop. However, this is a dram I have no desire to revisit. Rating (without considering price): 80 / 100 Purchase satisfaction (with price factored): 2.5 / 5

Ranked #26 out of 33 open bottles in my collection after several blind tastings. #26: Glenkinchie Distiller’s Edition. Single Malt Scotch. 43% ABV. Distilled 2004/Bottled 2016. Cost: $46 A decent buy at a sale price. I would consider purchasing it again if found for under $60. The standard Glenkinchie 12 is considered Diageo’s worst classic malt. I strongly advise against the standard Glenkinchie 12; it deterred me from this distillery for years. You could improve that spirit by doing almost anything to it. The 2016 Distiller’s Edition does show improvement through its finishing in Amontillado sherry casks. The inherent grassiness, oatmeal, and green fruit notes of the original are nicely balanced by subtle sherry and dark fruit flavors. It has a pleasant medium body and a silky texture. The initial taste is sweet, fruity, and floral, leading into some spices, then vanilla and cocoa notes reminiscent of black tea or coffee. While not groundbreaking, it exceeded expectations. In a blind tasting, I mistook it for Balvenie 12 DoubleWood, which is clearly inferior. MARK: 83/100 PREVIOUS RANKINGS ON BATMAN: #27: Macallan Sherry Oak. $66. 43%. 12 years. 82/100. #28: Eagle Rare. $37. 45%. 10 years. 80/100. #29: Old Pulteney. $40. 43%. 12 years. 80/100. #30: Balvenie DoubleWood. $50. 43%. 12 years. 78/100.

This feels like admitting a strange fixation, but I aim for truth in my notes. I use a pseudonym here, so my identity is concealed. The aroma is particularly captivating. Hints of banana, but also something else. It reminds me of an experience early in my career. I stopped by a colleague's workspace. She was attractive, and I hadn't paid her much attention. There was a faint, earthy, slightly damp scent. It wasn't unpleasant, perhaps balanced by a touch of laundry product. I looked around and saw she had taken off her shoes under her desk. Her small, white socks must have been the origin of that alluring smell. From that moment, I developed a small infatuation. I can't explain it, but the smell of this spirit triggered that memory. Notes of honey and heather are present, along with a bit of smoke and brine. Following that is just the scent of greenery and prolonged warmth. Now I'm uncertain whether to have another glass or search for "aroma of faintly damp socks." This whisky offers a subtle encouragement: "Why not both?"