Glen Garioch 15 was a different beast before 1994… it was peated. That’s right folks this Highland single malt was once a peated whisky and it had a very different character than it does today. Using Highland peat it doesn’t resemble the famously peated Islay whiskies at all and is instead much drier and less spicy… among other attributes we’ll get to in a few minutes.
Founded in 1979 by John & Alexander Manson, Glen Garioch originally contained a brewery and a tannery – one of which is an incredibly odd and foul smelling thing to have anywhere near a distillery. They’re now owned by Morrison Bowmore who is in turn owned by Suntory who is now Beam-Sutory after the acquisition. That’s the brief history, so how about the whisky?
Glen Garioch 15 (Pre 1994) Info
Region: Highland, Scotland
Distiller: Glen Garioch
Mashbill: 100% Malted barley
Age: 15 years
ABV: 43%
Price: NA – Auction, private sale or dusty.
Glen Garioch 15 (Pre 1994) Review
EYE
Light caramel
NOSE
Sulfer! Muddy, murky, boggy, earthy sulfer. After the initial sulfur bomb blew off a bit I got a few whiffs of toffee, iodine, rotting veg, old wood and maraschino syrup. Though when I say a bit I literally mean a bit because the sulfur stayed very present. Zero notes of peat picked up under the sulfur.
PALATE
Muddy sulfer coats the tongue and slowly pulls along some notes of old stale malt, cloying dark sweetness, imitation vanilla and a light dry peat. There’s an undertone reminiscent of the overripe veg and rotting wood from the nose that’s here as well, but best not to dwell on.
FINISH
Sulfer, old wood, caramel coffee syrup and a dark funk hang around like unwanted guests for far too long.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
The funk overpowers the whole thing and knocks it off balance. It has a thick round body and syrupy texture that fills and coats the mouth, but at least it’s a smooth dram.
OVERALL
This pre 1994 Glen Garioch 15 is the kind of whisky that could open up and have most of that sulfur funk blow off over time. Open it up, pour a glass and then revisit 1-2x a month for the next 2-3 months and hope that most of the sulfery funk has blown off. However, since it was a tasting, I don’t have the opportunity to see if that will happen to this bottle and so I have to score it based on the muddy sulfury character with rotting undertones that permeate this from nose to finish. Didn’t enjoy, wouldn’t buy, but still damn glad I got to try.
SCORE: 57-59/100 (Range due to a single glass & not tasting at home)