The first Glen Garioch I ever tasted was this vintage from 1995. It was a sample I tasted blind and I liked it enough to actually buy a bottle. It didn’t actually send me on a Glen Garioch tasting spree, because this is just the third Glen Garioch I have ever tasted. I acquired the 1994 vintage I review today through a sample swap.
Glen Garioch 1994/2011 (53,9%, OB, 12000 bts.)
Nose: Grainy, damp wood, porridge (that’s a first) and lots of vanilla. Now a light sweetness appears, cherries. It finishes with a lovely nutty quality, roasted almonds and orange.
Taste: More vanilla and now a sugary sweetness. Plumbs and brown sugar. Also orange and some grapefruit, which gives it a nice dry bitterness.
Finish: Caramel, vanilla and spices. Cuminseed and oregano. A hint of coffee.
Rating: 87
A sweeter and maltier dram than it’s sibling from 1995, which I rate just a tad bit higher. I think whisky from Glen Garioch distillery just suits me, because I like this a lot. Good value for money too. Still available online from a number of shops for around 60 euro. Just check the shoplinks on Whiskybase. I might have to buy one of these as well.