Glengoyne

Glengoyne (pronounced: glen-GOYN) is a distillery that struggles at a young age but can shine astonishingly bright at older ages, this is down the lightness of the spirit and the fact that it is unpeated. This is controversial fact, purely for the way that Glengoyne love to point it out. Every bottle states ‘untainted by peat smoke’ somewhere on it, clearly a ridiculous and infuriating statement. It is a shame that they feel the need to emphasise this fact in such a childish way. As if the existence of the many (great and arguably better) peated malts in Scotland personally offends them. It is such a shame because Glengoyne is so often a great whisky, one that doesn’t need to draw attention to its assets and greatness in such a clunky way. What’s in the bottle often speaks more than clearly enough for itself.

Glengoyne Distillery

Founded: 1833
Stills: 1 Wash 2 Spirit
Water Source: Campsie Hills
Capacity: 1.1 Million Litres
Owners: Ian MacLeod Distiller

1967-1975: The Golden Era

Glengoyne was rebuilt in 1967 and had its worm tubs replaced with condensers, new steam heating installed in the stills and, most unusually, a third still was added, an odd setup for any distillery. The best examples of Glengoyne hail from these years. Casks distilled between the late sixties and early seventies are, almost without exception, all fantastic. The biggest hallmark of these bottlings is fruit, lush, intense fruit, exotic, garden, green and white fruits all appear along with some muscular spice, green tea notes, flowers, mushrooms and honey. They are similar in some respects to the best aged Speysiders from this time in terms of their blatant fruitiness but they have a bolder, flintier, more obvious highland edge to them that sets them apart as individuals. There are many wonderful official examples but also some great 1972s by Malts Of Scotland and The Perfect Dram. There are some dark sherry examples as well which, while not so exemplary of distillery character, are wonderfully chocolaty, mineraled, fruity and dense aged sherried drams.

1975-Present: Malt, Cereal And Honey

Glengoyne since the mid seventies has shown itself to be alight highland style malt. Biscuity, grainy, green and malty in youth while developing a muscular maltiness in mid age with oily cereal notes, mature grassiness, honey and spice. The gap between the official 10 and 17 year old bottlings is the best example of how Glengoyne can change quite dramatically between 10 and 20 years of age. Other fine expressions in recent years have been the series of official single casks chosen by distillery workers, they all show a different slant on the distillery character and range from the densest, sweetest PX sherry matured monster, to fulsome, malty and resinous modern highlander in style. There are also a few more independent expressions emerging these days, many of which are excellent.

Glengoyne is under good management these days, they evidently care a great deal about their whisky and it shows in the great cask selection and fine bottlings they have released. Lets hope they can continue with the same energy and consistency in the future. Now if they would only drop that stupid ‘untainted by peat smoke’ tagline.

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Glengoyne 16 Year Old
Ref: 5433
Barcode: 5010503917762
£120.00 inc. VAT (£100.00 exc. VAT)

In stock and available for immediate dispatch.

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

A nice, fruit driven example of Glengoyne where the 'finishing' process has worked quite well for a change. The idea of using Scottish oak casks was a clever and very deft one that has paid off very well. Lots of honey, cream, malt and green fruit qualities on display here.
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Glengoyne 30 Year Old | Millennium
Ref: 376H

£495.00 inc. VAT (£412.50 exc. VAT)

In stock and available for immediate dispatch.

The folks at Glengoyne knew how to celebrate the millennium in style. Apart from being presented in a brass cabinet that the queen might casually toss
a crown jewel or two in for safe keeping, this is a devastating fruit monster of a dram. Like all great 1960s era Glengoynes, this is packed with green, white, citrus and tropical fruits in lively, complex abundance.
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Glengoyne 40 Year Old
Ref: 4484H
Barcode: 5010852018615
£3,500.00 inc. VAT (£2,916.67 exc. VAT)

In stock and available for immediate dispatch.

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

This is easily one of the best Glengoynes you'll ever taste. Endlessly rich, opulent and complex with a perfect balance of sherry and spirit character. A once in a lifetime dram.
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