N: Deep and rich. Immediately hit by a musty spice mixed with dark chocolate and some bitterness of coffee. Malty molasses and stewed apples and raisins are entwined with gentle wood shavings and vanilla. Rich, a good level of complexity, and not carried away with heavy handed sherry. P: Rich and mouth coating. A plump arrival packed with a jammy blend of raisins, cherry, fig and marzipan. Spices are gentle and reserved, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon. Dark cocoa powder and orange peel are present as a bitter back end the is joined by more marzipan. F: Medium. Sherry to the last, mocha, raisins, oranges and a creamy oak spice. This is definitely a more mature and elegant expression of Glengoyne than the younger 12. Whilst the malty distilate makes it through in places, the extra six years in Olorosso Sherry casks has definitely turned this into a cask dominated whisky. A perfectly pleasant one at that. There aren’t any rough edges to really speak of, theres enough depth and variance from nose to palate to keep it interesting. But, the major flaw I think is going to be that I wont remember much character or uniqueness by the end of the weekend. Ultimately this is a nice 18YO but its not special. Distiller whisky taste #288 [Pictured here with another Californian blueschist, this one from the Russian River in Sonoma County. This lump is riddled with red garnets that have contributed to a lovely pockmarked weathering surface. Traces of higher pressure metamorphism are preserved as green interdigitations of eclogite and silvery phengite mica (a rock comprised of green pyroxene and garnets)] Glengoyne running scores: Glengoyne 12: 2.75/5 Glengoyne 18: 3.75/4