August 22nd, 2011

Review: Glen Grant 25 year old

John Hansell

Glen Grant 25 year old, 43%, £255

Glen Grant’s new(ish) owner Campari is putting its money where its mouth is. Investment in plant, wood, and an impressive visitor center is slowly being backed up with a series of new releases. This venerable example comes from Gordon & MacPhail’s stocks, but is an official bottling due out in time for Christmas. This is GG in relaxed, avuncular mode: subtle woods, amber, Oolong tea, anise. The palate is old apple, fresh plum, cream, and ginger spiciness. (Available at the distillery, in France, and Travel Retail in Asia only.) —Dave Broom

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 91

Category: New Releases,Reviews,Scotch whisky,Writers Tags: 8 Comments

August 12th, 2010

Guest Review: Glen Grant 170th Anniversary, 48%, $125

John Hansell

Four years ago Glen Grant was in a sorry state, its beautiful gardens in need of some love and attention, its malts neglected and seemingly unloved. Then Campari bought it and we have heard very little more since. That’s until now. With a new visitor center, the gardens in full bloom, and the owners determined to make it a major player, things are looking up. This limited edition 170th anniversary bottling is made up of vintages stretching back to the 70s. They include a couple of sherry butts and some peated spirit. The result is a rich malt with some buttery toffee notes at first, distinctive lemon and green apple notes, and a touch of aniseed. Midway through, it sets off in a more feisty direction, with some peat, sharp spice, and green banana skin. Beguiling and unusual, it’s a statement of intent from an iconic distillery — watch this space. (Selected specialist outlets, excluding the U.S.) – Dominic Roskrow

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 82

Category: Reviews,Scotch whisky Tags: 3 Comments

June 10th, 2010

Glen Grant celebrates 170 years with a new limited edition whisky

John Hansell

This new whisky will be available in August, and it looks like the U.S. is going to be left out of this one. A marriage of whiskies (1976-1999) and bottled at 46%.  The “hint of peat smoke” in the tasting notes has me intrigued. Details below.

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GLEN GRANT CELEBRATES 170 YEARS OF TRADITION AND INNOVATION

 

ROTHES, Scotland, June 10th, 2010– This year sees Glen Grant celebrate 170 years of passion and excellence in whisky making.  The Speyside distillery has been producing its famous single malt whisky since it was established in 1840 by former smuggling brothers James and John Grant. 

With the 170th anniversary, the Glen Grant story will continue to maintain the forward-thinking traditions of the Grant family. Its whiskies are still made on the same grounds as those first established by its founders. With the sea and port of Garmouth nearby, the River Spey at its feet, peat in the vicinity, and barley-growing plains in close proximity, all the basic ingredients of malt whisky were at their fingertips.  These traditional ingredients combined with the innovative distilling methods that James ‘The Major’ Grant, son of founding brother James Grant, developed are still used to this day to create the unmistakable flavour, colour and finish of Glen Grant.  The distillery’s unique tall slender stills and special purifiers that were developed over a century ago continue to give its whiskies a light, fresh character – making the innovative Glen Grant whisky clearly different from any other brand.

To celebrate 170 years of uncompromising and passionate whisky making Glen Grant has created an inimitable experience with the launch of a 170th Anniversary Limited Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky. A whisky lover’s dream, the commemorative edition has been specially crafted by Master Distiller, Dennis Malcolm, who has carefully selected the most valuable Glen Grant casks ranging 1976 to 1999 and married them together to create one unique Glen Grant expression.

“170 years on, we continue to build on the combination of tradition and innovation that the Grant brothers brought to their whisky making all those years ago,” Glen Grant Master Distiller, Dennis Malcolm commented.  “We wanted to celebrate the history of the brand whilst translating the unique Glen Grant approach into something new and unexpected with the 170th Anniversary Limited Edition whisky.”

Embodying well over a century of tradition and innovation, the magnificent 46% abv (alcohol by volume) limited edition Single Malt, perfectly delivers the seductively smooth taste for which Glen Grant is renowned; with rich tones of ripe orchard fruits interlaced with hints of peat smoke.  Careful cultivation in oak casks as it matures over time has created a fresh and natural Single Malt Scotch Whisky with a distinctive golden brown colour.

The Glen Grant 170thAnniversary Limited Edition will be available starting August 2010 at the recommended  price of 100 Euros, sold in a premium gift pack, across  Europe, Taiwan, Travel Retail markets and the Glen Grant Distillery visitor centre in Rothes, Scotland, in a 70 cl bottle.

Category: Distillery news,New Releases,Scotch whisky Tags: 4 Comments

February 22nd, 2010

Review: Glen Grant 10 and 16 yr. old single malts

John Hansell

Glen Grant, 10 year old, 43%, $45
Light (for a Speysider), floral, fresh and elegant, showing honeyed vanilla, lively fruit, along with a hint of marshmallow and hay. Soft, dry finish. Pleasant, straight-forward and uncomplicated. A good, clean, introductory malt that’s easy to embrace.

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 81

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glen Grant, 16 year old, 43%, $80
Thicker and fruitier than the entry level 10 year old, with greater mouth-feel and a drier finish. Orchard fruit (especially pear), kiwi, lime, and creamy vanilla, with a suggestions of toasted coconut, hay and marshmallow. Dry, gently spicy finish. A bit more involved than the 10 yr old, but still with the same DNA. Very pleasant. (This is a new expression that made its debut in the U.S. last month.)

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 85

Category: New Releases,Reviews,Scotch whisky Tags: 9 Comments

January 25th, 2010

Update on Glen Grant Scotch whisky, including the debut of the 16 yr. old

John Hansell

Today I lunched with Dennis Malcolm, Distillery Manager for Glen Grant, and a man who has been in the whisky industry for nearly 50 years. After a long absence, “Distillery Bottled” Glen Grant is returning to the U.S. (It has only been available through independent bottlers, like Gordon & MacPhail.)

According to Dennis, today is the world debut of the new Glen Grant 16 yr. old. It’s debuting here in the U.S., along with the Glen Grant 10 yr. old. (The 16 yr. old will be rolling out into other world markets soon.)

The 16 yr. old is the oldest regular Glen Grant on the market. (There have been, and will occasionally be, older  limited-edition offerings.) In Europe, the 10 yr, old is already in distribution, along with a “Major’s Reserve” (approximately 7 years old).  And Dennis mentioned that they sometimes release special single cask, cask-strength whiskies at the distillery gift shop.

The 10 yr. old ($45) and 16 yr. old ($80) Glen Grants are now getting into circulation in seven markets here in the U.S.: New York, New Jersey, Illinois, California, Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas. The brand will then roll out to the rest of the U.S. in 2011.

Historically, Glen Grant was a malt that went into blended scotch. It was initially launched as a single malt in the Italian market. Campari purchased the brand in 2006, with the desire to penetrate into new markets with it. According to Dennis, the whisky is also already quite popular in Sweden and France.

Dennis told me that 50% of production is now being bottled as a single malt, with the remaining going into blended scotch. (It’s still a major component of the Chivas blend.)

Interestingly, according to Dennis, over a century ago, there was actually a “Glen Grant #2” distillery, similar to the way there were two Clynelish distilleries. It shut down after a few years, but a distillery reopened on that same site back in 1965: Caperdonich, which then closed in 2003.

Some other interesting tidbits: The oldest cask in the distillery’s warehouse is from 1972. And while exploring cask samples, he stumbled on a cask of Glen Grant that previously contained an Islay whisky. That, I would be interested in tasting!

And what of the whisky? I received review samples a few weeks ago (just haven’t gotten my reviews up on the blog here yet), and we tasted both the 10 and 16 yr. old again today. The 10 is a very light, fresh, easy-drinking dram–a great way to ease into the single malt category. The 16 shows more depth and richness (along with more sherry). I’ll post up my formal reviews of both soon.

Category: New Releases,Scotch whisky,Special events Tags: 20 Comments

January 25th, 2010

The next two days in New York: cool stuff. And when I return, more cool stuff.

John Hansell

There are things I like in my job, and there are things I don’t. The next two days are the former.

During the next two days, I’m having lunch with the distillery manager of Glen Grant, which is finally being imported to the U.S. I’ve already tasted their new whiskies, but it will be nice to meet with him. I am also meeting with the people in charge of Glenrothes, Glen Grant, Suntory Yamazaki, Cutty Sark, Tullamore Dew, Wild Turkey, and more here in the U.S.

I’m also meeting with Dr. Bill Lumsden, the genius behind Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. And I’ll be having lunch with the brand managers for The Macallan and Highland Park.

And in between all that, I am planning on enjoying a cigar with a very well known cigar enthusiast.

Then, on Wednesday, I a plan on tasting more “not yet released, and previously released” Maker’s Mark bourbons with Kevin Smith, Maker’s Mark’s Distillery Manager.

Stay tuned…

Category: Special events Tags: , , , , , , , 16 Comments

November 2nd, 2009

Glen Grant debuts in the U.S. next week at WhiskyFest

John Hansell

GG_16_yrs_LoRGood news. Glen Grant is coming to the U.S, but not until 2010.

However, if you have a ticket for Whiskyfest New York on November 10th, you in for a special treat. The whisky will make its debut in the U.S. at WhiskyFest.

 

This is from my contact at Skyy, the U.S. importer:

Whisky Fest is the only event where we will show case the brand before next year’s launch. So, only people at next week’s event will get the chance to taste before anyone else does…! The actual launch will be in January of next year and we will focus resources into the key markets: NY, NY, FL, TX, IL,  and CA.

The whiskies being poured? I’m told it will be the 10 yr. old and the 16 yr. old.

Category: Breaking news,New Releases,Scotch whisky,WhiskyFest Tags: 5 Comments

September 21st, 2009

Review: G&M Glen Grant 1966, 41 yr. old

John Hansell

Gordon & MacPhail (distilled at Glen Grant), 1966, 41 year old, 49.4%, $500 (CAD)
There’s been a lot of old, heavily sherried, independent bottled Glen Grant whiskies on the market over the past several years. Many of them have been heavily sherried. This one appears to be from a refill sherry cask, as its influence is more subtle. It has aged well, showing no excessive oak, but plenty of fruit (summer fruits, dried citrus, stewed fruit, tangerine, golden raisin), balance by polished oak, grape skin, and subtle dark chocolate. Distinctively pleasing.  Don’t add too much water, though, as it breaks down. (A Kensington Wine Market exclusive.)

Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 90

Category: Reviews,Scotch whisky Tags: , No Comments



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