Glenkinchie 24 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 700ml
Glenkinchie 24 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 700ml
A Limited Edition, natural cask strength single malt from refill European Oak butts filled in 1991, distilled at the Classic Malts Lowland distillery, Glenkinchie. Only 5,928 bottles produced globally. This edition is the third distillery release of cask strength Glenkinchie available and the oldest cask strength Glenkinchie released to date in this series, plus the first from European Oak. A lively Glenkinchie, with more body than younger expressions and considerably more spice. After a cautious start the nose opens to reveal clearly defined floral, fruit and cereal aromas that with water become more indulgent, while on the palate there’s complexity and a wonderfully drying, aromatic and bittersweet finish.
Medium. Oily.
Long and warm, with a trace of Szechuan pepper (spicy and mouth-cooling). Gingery with cinnamon and cedar; more toffee and chocolate-smooth tannins; then cleansing. Longer, drier and still warming with water, sweet and ashy; charred treacle toffee, again bittersweet.
Mature and considered. Gentle at first, then soon rich and generous, with tangy top notes of lime and toffee apple then a suggestion of walnuts on a soft, sweet, biscuit layer. A mossy base too, with traces of pine resin. Becoming more juicy in time, when pineapple, orange and raisin notes appear as the base note becomes more ashy, with caramel leading to burnt butter. Water dries the aroma more, making it appetisingly tart with stewed fruit and vanilla custard, and increasing the toffee note as it introduces a trace of warm sanded wood.
Smooth textured and warming, with a bittersweet start. Soon becoming spicy and woody, with cedar, banana toffee and vanilla cream. Quite drying, and growing warmer with deep, gingery notes in sweet, crunchy cereals. With water, the taste is still sweet, if less so, and smooth; delicate now, with a subtle, spicy pungency.