Re-review All of the comments I originally made are still valid but when tasting this in direct comparison with Glen Grant 10 year old yesterday I noticed something. This is actually the more balanced of the two malts, but it sacrifices depth to achieve its balance. The 10 year old is oilier and more malty in character and it has greater texture and mouth-feel. However this malt (which is a blend of ages and casking) has more variety of aromas and flavours and a more fruity profile. In the end they are very much equivalent in quality so I’m increasing my original rating for this one to equal the rating I have given the 10 year old. Tasted at the distillery, 2nd May 2024 “Above Average” : 80/100 (3 stars) ———————————————————- Nose: Peaches and apricots, nectarines and pears, apples and lemons. A nose that is similar to many other fruity NAS Speysiders at this price point. There is a faint zephyr of honeysuckle as it rests and opens in the glass, but it's a shy and low-key experience. Adding water lowers definition but makes the nose broader and sweeter. It also brings out a soapy note and so is best avoided. Palate: Cereal, grassy and fruity with a very small spice note. The arrival gives way quickly to a development that is all about lightly malted cereal. Biscuits and a little thin oatmeal porridge with a spoon of honey. The texture is a bit watery. Adding water does nothing good for the palate at all - it brings out a cardboard note and renders the whole affair flat. Finish: Short. Cereal and a trace of bitterness in the aftertaste. The finish is the only place where there is any improvement with water, due to a little sweetness that balances the bitter aftertaste. The nose has a resemblance to both the Glen Grant 10 year old and The Major's Reserve (and also to Glenfiddich 12 in some ways), but it has less presence and is less cereal/malt in character. It has a more fruity focus and lacks the nutty richness that is usually found in Glen Grant whiskies. It's not a bad nose but it is very reticent - sort of one dimensional and overly easy - but there is certainly nothing objectionable about it. The palate is basic and frankly too understated. It's not what I'd call subtle, just faint and seemingly over-diluted, but there are no specific faults worth noting. It is what it is - a simple, basic NAS malt that is just barely up to neat tasting and is best used as a mixer with soda or soft drink. This is priced between Glen Grant The Majors Reserve and 10 year old and that's just where the rating places it. "Average" : 78/100 (2.75 stars)