Glengoyne 40 Year Old

Aged in sherry butts, which is a departure from some of the older Glengoyne vintage samples I currently have which show more American Oak (ex-bourbon) characteristics. This is a very fruity, spicy, textural dram, with spiced apple, red raspberry, strawberry, plum, golden raisin, fried plantain, and crème brulee. Good grip on the finish, with grape stems and warming spice (cinnamon, cracked peppercorn, and clove). I love the balance on this whisky. It has aged very gracefully. (Limited to 250 bottles worldwide.)

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 94 points.

Nose

What strikes first here is the big freshness and the rather magnificent whirls of notes of sultanas, figs, dates and dried bananas. It’s rather less ‘polished and smooth’ than expected, and more nervous and fruity at first nosing. Develops more classically, though, on whiffs of cigar box, dried mushrooms (ceps), wax polish, mint flavoured tea, also earl grey, marzipan and a mildly invading sherry. Hints of crème brûlée topped with fresh ripe strawberries. It’s all superbly balanced but as often with very old whiskies, the verdict should lie on the palate, not on the nose.

Mouth

Nervous but less so than on the nose, starting more on heather honey and bananas flambéed as well as a little coconut liqueur. Less sherried than on the nose for sure. Develops on many fresh and dried fruits, figs first, with the oak starting to talk after a few seconds. Liquorice sticks and cinnamon. Finally apple pie (with cinnamon!), plum pudding and just a little apricot and strawberry jam. Extremely lively and fresh after all these years, not an old whisky that you ‘must’ like just because it’s old and ‘decanterised’.

Finish

Drier, rather long, with more tannins and cocoa now but nothing drying. Always that fresh fruitiness in the background.

Comments

Superb old Glengoyne, very complex and magnificently balanced. SGP:640 - 91 points.

Nose: Oily, red apples, créme brulee, ripe strawberries and cream. World class! Palate: Layers of ripe bananas, spiced plums, honey and cereal, dries into grapefruit, then soft oak. Complex. Oily mouth feel. It's a joy to open casks after four decades and find such great balance between cask and still. Finish: Long, dry and lingering.