Glen Grant 1973/2013 Mackillop’s Choice

Time for an oldie. Today’s Glen Grant is just a couple of months shy of being four decades old. It has matured in a sherry cask, and although it’s not stated on the bottle, it must be a refill cask. I acquired a sample via whisky buddy Ruud. Thanks for sharing this!

Glen Grant 1973/2013 (52,6%, Mackillop’s Choice, C#6582)

Nose: Slightly dusty with glue and wood polish to start. It’s a bit prickly, but it softens after a while. Pink grapefruit, then peaches and lemon. Some cookie dough as well. Not the most complex nose, but lovely intense.
Taste: Just a whiff of smoke (very, very light peat), which gives it that old-timey taste. Exactly how I love it. Plenty of oak, with lemon and ginger, but also almonds and walnuts. Fruit cake as well.
Finish: Super gentle smoke, stewed pear, ginger and oak. Pretty long.

Rating: 91

It is lightly sherried, but richly flavoured. The wood influence might be too much for some, but I actually like my whisky fairly woody. And the subtle smoke just pushes it over the edge for me. Fantastic whisky.

Photo: Whiskybase