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Doing a double tasting.
Doing a double tasting.
A while ago, I spotted the Glengoyne distillery on a photo on the social media account of a colleague. He was on a trip for work and as part of that trip, he visited the Glengoyne distillery. (The Glengoyne distillery is known to be one of the most easiest distilleries to visit for international visitors.)
I liked his post and commented something about bringing me a souvenir next time he did something like that. Just joking around. We chatted about the weather or something and I forgot about it.
Two-three weeks later, he walks into my office and hands me these tasters of the Glengoyne 12yo and 18yo.
A great opportunity for me to try them both, next to each other!
(A special thanks to Rutger for providing me with blog-able materials)
To be honest: I have looked at bottles of Glengoyne before, but for some reason I never bought them. I don't know why, because I really liked to try them once. Since the tasters only mention an age, I assume that it is this 12yo and this 18yo of their range, both bottled at 43% vol..
Glengoyne is a Highland whisky, although the distillery is right on the border with the lowlands. They are also known for drying their barley on warm air. So it is an unpeated whisky. Unpeated whisky in combination with sherry casks, should give me a very fruity style of whisky. So I was looking forward to trying these samples.
I started with the 12 year old.
It has a nice rich golden color and it left a medium line with tears after I waltzed it around my glass.
On the nose: Fresh fruits like apple and pear. Citrus, nutmeg and oak. Warm honey.
(For me it smelled a lot like this whisky.)
Taste: Mild and soft taste. Apricots, apple and hazelnut. Spices like cardemom and cinnamon.
Finish: Oak, sherry and a lingering oily feeling. Some hints of ale.
Secondly I poured the 18 year old. Immediately a warm smell reached my nose.
It has a warm color, going towards a more darker yellow. I got some bigger tears after a twirl of the glass.
On the nose: Fruits. Clearly sherried. Dried plums and apricots, but in a way very fresh. Light hints of white chocolate and candy.
Taste: Milk chocolate! Immediately. After that, apricots, plums and some tropical coconut and/or banana. Vanilla. And, maybe very weird to describe it like this: a wet spring forest.
Finish: Spicy. White pepper, cloves. Hints of vanilla. Warm and long. A bit dry.
I tried both whiskies next to each other. Going back and forth between them after tasting them both. What a difference 6 years can make!
I preferred the 18 year old. Maybe because it was what I was looking for in the whisky: Warm, rich and a full body.
The 12 year old just did not make me go "Yay!". At the same time, it also did not make me go "Nay!".
I do know, that when I'm ever shopping for a Glengoyne, the 18yo (Or higher?) will be my choice.
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