Glen Spey 12 Year Flora & Fauna

Nose: Dusty floral and vanilla, increasing in depth as it rests in the glass. Mild beer, porridge and a tinge of honey. Water mutes the nose. Palate: Soft cereal arrival with a little vanilla and honey but everything in the palate veers towards dryness. Malt, beer, grass and some oak notes, but it’s very mild. The texture is neutral but fine, and a drop of water develops creaminess. Water also brings out sweetness which is very pleasant. Finish: Medium/Short. Grass, porridge and beer. Reduction sweetens the aftertaste. This is a Diageo workhorse malt released as part of the Flora & Fauna range and it is the only official bottling of Glen Spey that has ever been issued. I think it may be discontinued now but you can probably find it on the secondary market. This is the definition of an easy, inoffensive single malt with nothing unbalanced or uncomfortable about it. It's flawlessly made but perfectly middle-of-the-road and is the ideal filler malt for blending. As for taking it as a single malt? Hmm. It's very easy to drink, particularly when watered and would be fine as an unchallenging session whisky, but something with a little more character would be even better. If you could still buy this at a price that competed against blended whiskies then it would be a no-brainer, but at the actual price point there are more interesting single malts to explore. Tasted from a 30ml sample. “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars)

Creamy and floral.

Nose: floral with vanilla and oak. Palate: vanilla and honey, I would undoubtedly say that the influence of the bourbon barrels is felt. Final: short with vanilla. Like all Flora and Fauna except if I remember correctly the Blair Athol, I was not thrilled: very normal whisky with no particular character. Rating 3.5 ___________________________________________________________ Naso: floreale con vaniglia e quercia. Palato: vaniglia e miele, direi senza dubbio che l’influenza delle botti di bourbon si sente. Finale: breve alla vaniglia. Come tutti i Flora e Fauna a parte se non ricordo male il Blair Athol, non mi ha entusiasmato: whisky molto normale e senza particolare carattere. Voto 3,5

Slate aftertaste, v strong aromas

Sometimes vanilla is boring and sometimes that's just what you want whether it be ice cream or whiskey. In this case, vanilla and honey specifically. Straight up nothing fancy. Not to much of the usual bitterness which plagues these cheaper offerings. $50USD and solid 3.5 to 3.75, rounding to 4 on VFM just because that's what plain vanilla deserves when you are in the mood for it.