Glen Grant 24 Year SMWS 9.119 “Tasty and rewarding”
Whisky : Glen Grant 24 Year SMWS 9.119 “Tasty and rewarding”
Country/Region : Scotland/Speyside
ABV : 48.9%
Cask : Ex-Bourbon (23Y) First Fill Red Wine Hogshead (1Y)
Age : 24 Years (Distilled 16 Nov. 1992)
Nose : Gentle spice, berries, and shortbread. Fruity and oily with notes of raspberry, currants, strawberry licorice, citrus oils, and Epsom salts. Over time the fruits became more exotic— salted plum and jujubes— with faint white pepper and shortbread.
Palate : Medium-bodied with notes of fruit, licorice, and sea. Mellow maritime hints of chalk and salt drifted behind fruity candies and shortbread pastries. Grabbag of sweets with strawberry licorice, lemon peel gummies, saltwater taffy, and those weird fruit-flavored tootsie rolls. Hints of chocolate and cherries lingered toward the end as a pleasant chalky astringency remained on the palate.
Finish : Medium length and drying with citrus pith and pepper.
Score : 7
Mental Image : Bathtime Cookies
Notes : Glen Grant is category-defining when it comes to “drams for bathtime.” There is something nice about an occasional good long soak to loosen the muscles, and Glen Grant often fits that mood. I enjoyed this dram’s mellow profile with loads of delicious candies that never became overly saccharine as it transitioned toward a dry finish. The overall effect was perfectly suited to unwinding at the end of the day.
Overall, a relaxing and tasty dram. The astringency was elevated perhaps a bit beyond where I typically like it, which gave some of the citrus notes the impression of slightly bitter pith, especially with water. SMWS seems to have no shortage of these delightful Glen Grants at various ages (and many younger than this). I can hardly believe there was a time I thought the distillery was a bit boring.
Image Credit: SMWS Canada
