Adelphi: The Glover: 10th Anniversary (Scotland + Japan Blended Malt Whisky: 7 Year: 54.5% ABV)
Visual: Clear slightly browned gold body with slow puckering from the spirit.
Nose: Vanilla. Toffee. Buttery crumpets. Toasted teacakes. Sultanas. Noticeable alcohol. Water makes for more emphasis on the buttered bready notes.
Body: Thick. Toffee. Soft lime. Alcohol rises quickly. Light cherry pocked shortbread. Fatty butter. Peppery. Water adds grapes. Light chalk and raisins.
Finish: Sourdough. Yeastie air. Brown bread. Alcohol sheen. Fatty butter. Peppery. Water adds soft lime. Soft kiwi crème. Raisins. Cherries.
Conclusion: This is more delicate in flavor than you would expect for over 50% abv and from such a mix of two flavoursome distilleries. Not that it is lacking in alcohol presence, oh no, but I first tried this after having had a pair of drams before, and a lot of flavours got lost had like that. It isn’t a booming one that can push past prior whiskies.
So, yeah, despite its high abv, and big flavoursome spirits used, I recommend having this as your first drink of the night to let it shine best.
Neat it has a lovely thick texture, with simple bready and sweet character – a mix of toffee and vanilla notes and buttered toasted bread products. Plus alcohol. Less that you would expect for the abv, but yep, definitely alcohol.
Water brings out very subtle fruity notes, raisins, some citrus, some cherries. Guessing that is the complexity of the Chichubu showing through slowly as I associate it more with that spirit, with the Ardnamurchan providing the big body. I could be wrong.
Like this, with a touch of water, had before anything else so to be able to appreciate its complexities it is full bodied, thick and fatty butter touched but with surprising subtleties. I’d not call it as good as its price tag demands, and I think I prefer the previous Glovers I have tried, but it is a very solid, full flavoured dram. Just somehow more delicate that you would expect.
Background: Been a while since I have indulged in a Glover, a blended mix of Japanese and Scotch whiskies, in tribute to Thomas Blake Glover who was a Scottish merchant in Edo period Japan. This is the tenth anniversary release – At seven years old I think it is also the youngest release, and sadly unlike the earlier releases does not have any whisky from the defunct Hanyu distillery. Instead this is a mix of the excellent Chichibu distillery and Adelphi’s own Ardnamurchan. From googling, I think this is a mix of 7 year unpeated chichibu and 10 year unpeated Ardnamurchan, but don’t take that as 100%. I adore Chichibu, and I am a big fan of Ardnamurchan’s later releases as well, so high hopes for this, despite the sad lack on Hanyu. Grabbed from Independent Spirit. Music wise I went a bit irreverent as I had just grabbed Tits of Death: Iron Nipples, but a single track alone could not cover the whole tasting so I put in a playlist with some Lesbian Bed Death. I am so respectful to the dram.
