Review: Glen Grant 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

let’s begin

In the hills surrounding the village of Rothes, near Elgin in Speyside we find the Glen Grant Distillery.

Originally founded in 1840 by James and John Grant, this distillery is well known for its bright history in Whisky, and for its even brighter future.

It is one of the most popular brands on the market today, and has maintained good standing within the industry for well over a century.

This is in part due to the enterprising and inventive ways of the distillery’s original owners.

They made sure to locate their distillery near water sources and surrounded by the ideal land to grow barley.  It is also located near to the port of Garmouth, allowing for easy access to export channels.

Since these days it has changed hands a number of times and today is owned by the Campari Group, who purchased it in 2006.

The distillery has a wide range of various malts and limited editions.  Each has a unique and exciting flavour.

A particular star of that range is the Glen Grant 12 Year old.  This is a fantastic malt that displays the best characteristics of Glen Grant and the Speyside region in general.

The nose opens with a great punch of sweet and tangy fruits.  This expression is like a fruit bowl of flavour, with everything from apples and pears to bright oranges and lemons.

The citrus flavours mix well with the more floral fruits, and there is a delicate undertone of blossom as well.

There is also a slight malty tone in the nose, with a biscuit note and something not unlike pastry.

These lend a slight sweetness and are wonderful complimentary to the tang and sweetness of the fruits.

The pastry and malted notes come through even more on the palate, where fully formed apple pies with a light drizzle of caramel take over.

These are complete with a hint of cinnamon warmth.  Ultimately however, it is the fresh bite of the apples that rules the palate of the 12 Year Old.

This is a fully formed flavour that uses the malty notes in the background to its advantage.  The flavours bounce off one another, making for a well rounded dram.

They come together once again in the finish, where the cinnamon really shines and leaves a long warming sensation.

The Glen Grant 12 Year Old is an excellent dram that captures the fruity notes with a delicate hint of spice that so often characterises Speyside Whiskies.

Tags: DrinkWireGlen Grant 12Glen Grant DistilleryReviewSpeyside
Greg

Greg

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.

You might be interested in

More from the blog

Leave a comment

Login / register