Glen Grant 18 Year

light, welcoming, but a little underwhelming for the $

I’ve been a fan of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible for a while now, so when he rated Glen Grant 18 “Scotch Whisky of the Year” these last 3 years in a row, I felt it time to give it a try. Additionally, over this same period, he also awarded this spirit two 2nds and a 3rd for his top honor of “World Whisky of the Year.“ Maybe it’s a coincidence, or maybe it’s the product of his refined palate, but over the years many of Mr. Murray’s top selections have become highly collectible, and I often times find myself agreeing with his assessments, similar to what I once recall @cascode stating. The Glen Grant 18 turns out to be a class act. Considering the time spent in ex-bourbon casks, it appears surprisingly light and reminiscent of Chardonnay. One would have to assume these barrels to be treble-filled to impart such a delicate shade of distinction after so much time. Tall, slender stills turn out this expression, so a soft, fruity, and fragrant speyside nose seems befitting for the first pass of the glass. Bottled at 43% ABV, and sporting viscous legs, the whisky rolls over the tongue in smooth and satisfying fashion. Well delineated, flashes of sweet vanilla are mixed with malt and baking spices in such a way that the overall effect seems to vacillate between good scotch and good rye, as its fragile elements pop into and out of existence like photons at the quantum level. Unique and intriguing, I can understand Murray’s fascination with this complex offering as it challenges one’s sensitivities to its various nuances. Every sitting with this whisky seems like a new episode in discovery and I would recommend it with a rating of 4.25 stars.

Solid, complex and agreeable Speyside