Glen Garry Finest Scotch Whisky (c. 1960/70s)
Whisky: Glen Garry Finest Scotch Whisky (c. 1960/70s)
Country/Region: Scotland/Blend
ABV: 43%
Cask: Oak
Age: N/A
Nose: Grungy and musty, mothballs, soft brine, faded florals, dried stone fruits, occasionally a bit medicinal with herbal tobacco and paper.
Palate: Medium to light-bodied, grungy and musty, fruits and florals, soft brine, hessian, engine oil and car garage, tobacco pipe, fruit jam, old newspapers.
Finish: Medium to long with musty closets, citrus rind, and mothballs.
Score: 7-8 (86)
Mental Image: Whisky Historian in the Archives
Narrative & Notes: Musty like a closet full of winter coats that has not been opened in many months, the aroma was old-fashioned with mothballs, soft brine, and faded florals. Everything was mellow and gentle as charred paper and old tobacco pipes flittered between dried kiwis, oranges, sour cherries, and a kiss of bitter medicine. A touch of peanut butter and dried coconut brought to mind no-bake cookies, a sweet memory rising out from the grungy aroma. Medium to light-bodied, the flavors were old-fashioned with musty orange blossom and sakura opening to orange rind, peppercorns, and a soft brine— like clothes hung out to dry along the coast. A touch of engine oil and musty garage lingered with dried grass and old tobacco pipe while sour cherry jam and old newspapers arrived near the end— breakfast and a smoke in the garage. The finish was medium to long with musty closets, citrus rind, and mothballs.
They do not make them like they used to… the halcyon days of blended whiskies feels incredibly long ago, and you need only taste well preserved examples from the 1970s or earlier against similar blends today to locate the stark difference. There were cheap and bad blends in the past, do not fall into the trap of romanticizing every old whisky, yet it is hard to deny that there was a greater diversity of flavor and more depth to many of those older blends (something that has been, in some cases, enhanced by the old bottle effect, or OBE, if you accept that it exists… and not everyone does).
As a blend, Glen Garry likely comprised whiskies from Speyburn and Oban which fell under the DLC subsidiary John Hopkin’s & Co, who originally created the brand and founded the Speyburn Distillery. They were also licensees for Glen Elgin, Longmorn, and St. Magdalene which likely feature in the blend. Additionally, company operated Tobermory prior to shuttering it in 1930, so any Tobermory casks they might have had would have been exceptionally old by the time this bottle was created (the distillery reopened under new control in 1972). For a bit more, check out Justine Hazlehurt’s blog (she’s a real whisky historian unlike myself— I am just the grubby regular kind, much less fun.)
Overall, not all old blends or bottles remain in good condition, but this was wonderful.
