LeeEvolved
Glengoyne 10 Year
Single Malt — Highlands, Scotland
Reviewed
February 2, 2019 (edited October 21, 2024)
After hearing really good things about the Glengoyne distillery I noticed a 3 malt, age statement sample pack at one of the online stores I regularly make purchases from. This pack was only $17 and included 2oz pours of the 10, 15 and 18 year old. I figured now was as good of a time as any to give them a go.
Let’s start with the 10. This particular sample was listed as the 40% ABV and not the standard 43%. Hmm, I wonder why. They advertise no added coloring, but I’m sure it is chill filtered. It’s shiny gold and will leave thick, runny legs and big drops behind in your tasting glass of choice.
The nose is honey and fresh cut lumber right from the sawmill. There’s cereal notes, light florals and butterscotch. All things you’ve come to expect from a Lowland distillery’s standard whisky. Extra time in the glass doesn’t hurt nor help this one- so get to sipping.
The palate brings the butterscotch, toffee, faint sherry sweetness and cereal notes to your tastebuds, but does leave some light, black pepper spice and a hint of oak and barley lingering into the finish. It’s exceptionally smooth for a 10 year old, no doubt.
The finish is pretty short, while remaining smooth and light. There’s more oak left behind than sweetness and it eventually turns peppery and dry.
While it’s nothing earth shattering, it is very good for a baseline, 10 year old single malt. I could see it adding some bite to any light cocktail you make out of it and there’s no reason why you can’t pour it over ice and make a chilled sipper out of it. This pour cost me $6 and that’s about all I’d be willing to spend on it. Hopefully, the 15 & 18 will add some depth and complexity when I get around to sampling those. 3 stars and no worries. Cheers, my friends.
6.0
USD
per
Pour
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The 10 is good for the price, but I'd say it's worth spending the extra $9 to get the 12 year. Nice review!
@Soba45 - I’ll be very interested to hear your thoughts on the 25. That type of age statement usually gets my attention, and if it’s good, my money.
@Slainte-Mhath - yeah, I don’t see any need to buy a full bottle of this. We tried a sample of the 12 year back with our distillery sampling team and I rated it as average, as well. Hopefully, this malt shines with some age on it. I’m going to try to get to the other 2 samples sooner so the profile stays fresh in my mind. At $6 a pour, even if they all seem average it will still be a good experience.
I've had two 21 year bottlings. 1 official and 1 Cadenhead and both were great. 4.25 ratings the 12 year distillery bottling however I gave a 2.75...rubbish. Seems the older the better with this distillery. I have a 25 year sample to put that statement to the statement to the test sometime :-).
@LeeEvolved I really liked their 15 yo expression - the 10 yo was indeed a bit bland and probably not worth buying a bottle.