Glen Elgin 17 Year (2004), Lady of the Glen
Whisky: Glen Elgin 17 Year (2004), Lady of the Glen
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside
ABV: 55.7%
Cask: Hogshead (17Y), Ruby Port Barrique (1Y)
Age: 17 Year (Distilled 4 Mar. 2004, Bottled 15 Mar. 2021)
Nose: Waxy citrus, dried fruits, and spice. Sweet fresh citrus zest with tantalizing hints of tangerine, orange, and calamansi. A peppery backing to the fruit with notes of anise, cinnamon, and cola. Notes of dried stone fruits and dark chocolate with a bit of maltiness brought orange sponge cake to mind.
Palate: Medium bodied with a mild dryness and crisp, bold flavors of citrus, dried fruits, and floral spice. Sweet fruity candies hit the palate first: grape Nerds and Poprocks. A pleasant tobacco spice came through with notes of dried lavender, citrus zest, and slightly bitter pith. Fruits carried through on the mid-palate as pineapple, orange, and calamansi led to a refreshing finish with hints of dark chocolate.
Finish: Lingering sweet citrus sugars and pepper.
Score: 7
Mental Image: Brunch-Inspired Mojito
Notes: A beautifully balanced Glen Elgin from Lady of the Glen, the dram was loaded with the gentle citrus notes of Glen Elgin and a juicy burst from the port wine finish. While the cask finish was quite bold, this came off as relatively balanced and refined, and I was surprised it did not run over the Glen Elgin spirit. I loved the layers the cask appears to have added to the experience and though cask finishes are not usually my jam, it did work well on this one.
I have probably jumped the shark with a few of my mental images over the years— this one is perhaps one of the most SMWS-ish sounding without any real depth to it. The whisky was quite good, but it did not remind me of anything. The closest I could think of was a blackberry mojito, but with the kind of spicy kick one might find with a kimchee Bloody Mary at brunch.
Overall, this was lovely and one of my favorite Glen Elgin.
Image Credit: Nicks Wine Merchants
