Whisky: Glen Keith 28 Year (1993), WhiskySponge No. 62

Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside

ABV: 51.9%

Cask: Refill Barrel, Refill Hogshead

Age: 28 Years (Distilled 1991/1993, Bottled 2022)

Nose: Wood and wax with apricots and slightly tart stone fruits, subtle chicory, pecan, and walnut with more wood oils and garden mulch, hints of green mango and salt in the background.

Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, orchard fruits and wood, malty pastries, apples and pears, maple syrup, coffee, apricot, mild nuttiness, more wood and resin toward the end.

Finish: Medium to long with wood, herbs, and hints of fruit.

Score: 7

Mental Image: Orchestral Fencing

Narrative & Notes: The aroma was a touch closed off with a woody backbone of polished antiques, wood oils, and garden mulch. Waxy-finished hardwoods offered hints of apricots and slightly tart or underripe plums and nectarines. Subtle chicory and pecan with hints of crushed walnut brought to mind my grandmother's kitchen with the warm, woody scent kicked off by the ovens and stovetop. Hints of green mango and salt provided a tropical diversion with something vaguely lactic. Medium-bodied and oily with a profile of orchard fruits, pancake house pastries, and woodsy herbal notes. The arrival was all apples and pears and cider donuts of different sorts, as delicate apple blossom tea and sweet calvados appeared. Maple syrup and cinnamon scones brought an old-fashioned pancake house to mind with subtle cheap, muddy coffee, apricot preserves, and decadent pecan pie. Toward the end, the woodier qualities asserted themselves with waxed hardwoods, olive oil, mulch, and pine resin. The finish was medium to long with wood, herbs, and hints of fruit.

This was one of the rare whiskies whose aroma was weaker than the palate. Bringing the glass to my nose, I found the whisky relatively closed off and tight with tons of wood and only teases of other elements. Time did not seem to help, though water brought more orchard fruit, it elevated a slightly sour, almost lactic note. The nuttier aspects of the wood were pleasant, especially when they brought to mind my grandmother's kitchen, whose hot oven always warmed the wood in the room. Her counter always had pecan and walnuts for us to crush or run through a hand-cranked grinder.

While the aroma was a bit closed off, the palate was brimming with distinct layers of fruit, malty pastries, subtle spice, nuts, coffee, and finally, a bit of funky herbs and bright resin. It was like speed running through life as a middle schooler— from grandmother's kitchen to late-night diners and, finally, the orchestra classroom where I battled stringed instruments.

Overall, I love a whisky with a fuzzy tinge of nostalgia. I could never decide if I liked this or loved it. I wished the nose were fuller and more developed, but everything else went right. I might not seek this out, but I would grab a pour if I saw it available.

Theme: End-of-Year Favorites

The theme this December 2023 is cleaning the house, and the reviews posted this month are either things I did not get a chance to slide into a theme week earlier this year, drams I have poured to celebrate the holidays and end of the school year, or as part of our online whisky group’s mystery dram advent calendar. These are posted in no particular order!