glentauchers 2014 8 years james eadie

Glentauchers 2014 8 Years (James Eadie)

Older Glentauchers, some from the mid-1990s or late 1980s, can be a real treat. But my experience with younger Glentauchers is limited, and we’ve been seeing more of them lately. (And much younger whisky, in general, these past few years.) This young Glentauchers 2014 8 Years by James Eadie matured in bourbon barrels, offering a chance to examine the fruity distillate in closer detail.

Seeing as this is the first review of a James Eadie bottling on Words of Whisky, a small introduction is warranted. Mostly because I’m looking for any excuse to promote the excellent book they published last year, The Distilleries of Great Britain & Ireland.

It’s a book that rivals Alfred Barnard’s The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom, but unlike Barnard’s masterpiece includes actual pictures of distilleries from the 1920s. It’s not a cheap book – although I’ve seen way more expensive whisky and spirit books released in the past few years – yet if you’re into this kind of stuff, you’re not going to be disappointed.

If you’re not much of a reader, then first of all, what are you doing reading this? Secondly, you’re missing out. But to each their own. Now let’s return to what you came here for, a review of a Glentauchers 2014 8 Years by James Eadie. It’s a small batch release comprising three first-fill bourbon barrels in total.

glentauchers 2014 8 years james eadie closeup

Glentauchers 2014 8 Years (46%, James Eadie, 2022)

Nose: Light, fruity and juicy with a mineral edge. Candied bananas, apple juice, some white chocolate and buttery popcorn. Maybe a few gentle floral notes too. Seemingly the bourbon casks do most of the talking, but there’s plenty of room for the spirit too.
Taste: Creamy mouthfeel, especially considering its abv. It certainly shares DNA with its older siblings. Hints of white pepper (but kept in check) with a hint of ginger, nougat, vanilla and butter biscuits. Just a light sprinkle of lime zest too.
Finish: Short to medium. Notes of vanilla, ripe bananas and processed sugar.

Conclusion
Even older Glentauchers sometimes have an unpolished quality; pepperiness on the palate. Presumably, this younger Glentauchers from James Eadie would be rougher still, but I think the reduction to 46% abv did wonders. It's sweet and not very complex, but very drinkable and moreish too.
8.3

Photo: Whiskybase

Power your creative ideas with pixel-perfect design and cutting-edge technology. Create your beautiful website with Zeen now.