Malt Mileage Rating: ★★★★
Type: Single malt
Origin: Highlands, Scotland
ABV: 40%
Malt Mileage Rating: ★★★★
Type: Single malt
Origin: Highlands, Scotland
ABV: 40%
Rating: ★★★★
Type: Single malt
Origin: Highlands, Scotland
Reaction: 🙂
Glengoyne is a Scottish whisky distillery located in the southern Highlands of Scotland, about half an hour drive north of Glasgow. It adopts a practice of air drying barley, rather than using peat, which tends to result in a clean fruity flavour profile. The Glengoyne 12 year old is comprised of whiskies that have matured in sherry casks.
Oranges, tea cake, Earl Grey tea and mild hints of licorice are all buoyed by chocolate, dried dates, lychee skins, nuts, cinnamon and citrus oils.
On the entry the whisky is balanced, with flavours of vanilla, red toffee apple, spice (especially cinnamon), orange cake and a gradually intensifying Italian hot chocolate. The flavour profile then morphs into gooey caramel and melting orange and Champagne truffles. Despite these sweet sounding descriptors, the whisky is not what I would describe as sweet and it is nicely balanced.
The finish is mildly warming, with the lingering taste of a wedge of lemon doused in lager (think Corona and a lemon wedge), cinnamon spice, caramels, honey, coffee lollies and chocolate.
Buy it, if you want an easy drinking but complex Highland single malt with a very fair price tag. I have tasted Glengoyne 12 year old a few times in bars and at Whisky Live, but its intricate flavours did not leap out as they do when I taste it at home. This is a dram that can be easily under-appreciated, and while it is not very challenging, it is a supremely drinkable whisky. It is a fruity whisky with a toffee apple/citrus theme and soft hues of vanilla, spice and chocolate from the oak – delicious, if you are in the mood for something elegant and poised
Pair this whisky with a mild-medium cigar with zesty undertones, such as a Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne cigar or a Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve, the latter of which set my palate abuzz with spice when puffed alongside Glengoyne 12 year old – find a curious chilli flake burn and cinnamon spiced chocolate entanged in the tobacco smoke, smoothed by the vanilla and toffee in the whisky.