Number two in the four day Kintra run. I hope I can find the time to post all four in a row, else there might be a short hick-up with a no-post day. Quite busy, the coming days.

Glen Garioch is, although a pretty well apreciated distillery, rather inconsistent in my book. Their cask management is all over the place and you never know what you’re going to get. Even the smokiness of the whisky is very varied, although that has to do with casks as well.

The style they profess is something I like, but that’s the case with many distilleries (I think over half of them).

Nose:
Initially I would have said it to be Bowmore. A bit salty, with heather and more smoke than I am used to from Glen Garioch. Some herbs and spices with heather being the most prominent, and some ginger after that. Old wood that is being reused, if that makes sense. Warmer and fuller than I expected from the pale color.

Taste:
The first second it feels a bit watery, with some heat following it. Spicy peppercorns and again the herbs and spices. Wood, ginger, maybe some cloves. A bit milky too, but the 0.2% fat milk without body. In a weird way crisp as well with a minor hint of wood.

Finish:
Spices again and quite dry with old bourbon casks (refill I guess). There’s a lot to discover and there’s even some fruit popping up now. I get some banana in the back, when the smoke hits. Apple too and some minerals or slate (I get those two together a lot, apple and minerals).

An unexpected belter with heaps of flavours to be discovered. I had to take some time to get used to it but it appeals more and more. There are loads of flavours and behind everything, there’s something else. Gorgeous whisky!

Glen Garioch 20, 07-1990 – 05-2011, Kintra Whisky, bourbon hogshead, 49.6%, can’t find it anymore, but it used to be around € 95.