Grangestone 12 Year

The Grangestone 12, from the producers of Glenfiddich and Balvenie, is an introductory scotch ideal for novices and shared experiences. The blend of light floral, citrus, oak, malt, and vanilla suggests an interesting journey. The nose features citrus notes prominently at the top, with floral and oak notes layered deeper within the aromatics. Similar to the non-age statement versions, one must search a bit to get past the aroma of phenolic influences, which are quite strong for a 12-year-old. The taste reveals smoky richness from the grains/cereals, wood (oak), and noticeable peat/smoke, providing surprising depth and flavor. The finish is complemented by a floral note and a subtle, delicate sweetness that encourages another sip. The consistency from drink to drink is an even greater surprise. The Grangestone 12 is a rare instance where the development exceeds the nose; the aromatics are somewhat jumbled and chemical-like, while not unpleasant, they don't convey the full story. The real character is in the liquid itself; what might be expected as an unrefined surge of malt, phenols, and ethanol, instead offers a balanced taste of subtle spice, rich cereal notes, smoke/peat, and oak, all with a delightful finish. This was an unexpected dram, suitable as a beginner's scotch, a good option for experienced drinkers, and perfect for sharing at gatherings. —the scotch guy

I found a few of these small bottles on the shelf at the local shop and decided to try them out, unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to note the price of the full-sized bottles. The aroma is very Highland-like, with spicy citrus notes, similar to a certain well-known brand, which is quite pleasant if that's your preference. This aromatic theme continues with some sweet cereals, lemon, and orange notes reminiscent of fruit loops in the middle, finishing with only a slight smokiness. This fruity Highland dram seems very "approachable," to use a common term. As someone new to Scotch, I appreciate the mellow peat and smoke; the malt doesn't overpower the pleasant, sweeter notes, showing good balance. This is a good option for many palates; it's a Scotch that doesn't taste like it's about to strip paint. This bottle won't win awards for complexity, nor will it impress serious Islay fans, but it's a nice choice for those who enjoy a fruity, easy-going Scotch profile. Cheers!

I'm exploring some 50ml samples I acquired. I have no prior experience with Grangestone and have never tasted this brand of whisky before. I sampled this neat from a Glencairn glass and allowed the whisky ample time to rest before tasting. The nose is quite unremarkable. I detect a bit of honey, some ethanol, a faint grain note, perhaps a bit floral. Nothing special about it. There's also nothing unpleasant. It has a surprisingly pleasant mouthfeel, with a soft entry and a wave of sweetness. The finish turns slightly bitter after swallowing. A hint of wood remains as an aftertaste. There's genuinely not much to it and nothing to generate excitement. It receives 2.5 stars for being entirely average and, presumably, quite affordable.

I evaluated four bottles blind: the bourbon cask, sherry cask, rum cask, and 12yr single malts from Grangestone. The tasting notes below are from the blind evaluation. The nose presents an anise spice over a malty mustiness reminiscent of wine barrels. Faint vanilla and burnt sugar are in the background. The taste surprisingly reveals a light smokiness upfront, which was unexpected. This is followed by a maltiness akin to toasted biscuits with clove and anise. The finish was spicy, short to medium in length, with a vanilla note running through it. There's also more of that subtle light smokiness. Overall, this was my second favorite of the four, though it was closer to third place than first.

This exceeded my expectations. A solid whisky for its cost. I'm usually wary of independent bottlers, but I understand the distiller behind Glenfiddich & Balvenie handles the bottling for this store. That's reassuring, haha. It's very easy to enjoy. You get the sweet maltiness typical of many highland whiskies, along with some vanilla and an unexpected ashy aftertaste. It's rich, and even at a lower proof, it has character. It's not outstanding, but my whisky-drinking session was enjoyable.

Initially, the flavor seems somewhat muddled. However, upon a second taste, the sweetness and grassy notes begin to emerge. There's a subtle melon note with some lemon oil bitterness at the start, but it settles in quite nicely. The finish is short and develops briefly. UPDATE: The more I drink this, the more subtle spices appear. I'm actually starting to genuinely enjoy this scotch. It's very pleasant.