This Glen Garioch was bottled by Dornoch-based independent bottler the Thompson Brothers for the whisky collective known as East Coast Whisky.  While I am not a member or associated with ECW, I know several people who are, and they take absolute delight in the communities they have formed as a result, the places they have travelled, and the whisky they have tasted.  The best part of whisky is sharing it, making memories, and building communities from virtual spaces to physical ones.

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Whisky: Glen Garioch 27 Year (1998), Thompson Brothers for East Coast Whisky

Country/Region: Scotland/Highland

ABV: 57.1%

Cask: 2nd Fill Bourbon Barrel

Age: 27 Years (Distilled 1998, Bottled 2025)

Notes: Almond and orange and melon— this was fruit wrapped in mochi with a bit of frangipane: a mellow and mildly sweet snack for the afternoon. A touch of tea, dried reeds, and red ginger appeared from herbs and leaves, while cracked pepper, anise, and a rich fattiness brought back memories of duck breast prosciutto. White chocolate and ube brought me back to dessert for purple blondie bars with a kiss of coconut. Medium-bodied and oily on the palate, the flavors were bright and lively with pineapple and ginger ahead of orange rind and persimmon. Hints of almond, ube, coconut, and white chocolate lingered around the edges but rarely took full form. More wood and pepper lingered toward the end with a drying tannic tea quality and slightly bitter quinine. The finish was long and slightly drying with spirited pepper, citrus rind, and crushed almonds.

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Score: 8 (87)

Mental Image: Picnic on the Moors

Conclusion: The aroma on this was fabulous with loads of understated fruits and a modest sweetness that gradually opened up in different directions. I found it more reserved on the palate after an initially bright opening, though given time the flavors elongated and spread back out. It verged on being austere toward the end, really showing its age and the effect of the wood. The finish was wonderfully long and gentle helping to wrap the experience nicely. Overall, a tasty whisky that still left me wanting just a bit more from it to get to that next level.