Garnheath 42yo, 1974-2016, Single Grain, Xtra Old Particular (XOP) Range
ABV: 44.5%
Region: Lowlands
Price per bottle: °°°°°
Bottling: Douglas Laing
Cask type: Refill Barrel (DL11209, 130 btl.)

 

Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Fruity start on the nose with yellow apples, pineapple and a hint of banana, lovely mixed with vanilla and biscuit. A tad of glue's shining through, followed by darker fruits, blood oranges and red cherries in particular. Earthy notes, damp wood and a touch of leather in the background.

Palate: Big and spicy. Cracked black pepper, mixed with oak chips and caramelised ginger. Quite warming and subtle dry! Dried dark fruit with sweet vanilla and cereals, hints of wipped cream and a squeeze of grapefruit towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is long, warm and spicy with cinnamon and cloves. Slightly sweet with vanilla and a nice Christmas-y touch of German lebkuchen.
With water: A few drops of water significantly increase the delicate vanilla sweetness, while the fruity notes and earthy flavours are tamed. Sweet on the palate with lots of vanilla, apples and orange blossom. Less spicy and only slightly warming with dry notes of oak towards the finish. The finish shows medium length, some oak spice with very dry notes on the tail.
Comments: A wonderful and very enjoyable single grain whisky from this closed distillery. Bold and spicy with a lovely earthy touch on the one hand - sweet and fruity with cheering up on cake aromas on the other. Very appealing. Such a long ageing hasn't made the bourbon wood too dominating. Very well balanced with length and complexity. No water needed. A well-matured grain!

 

I thank Douglas Laing for the sample and the photograph!

Garnheath 41yo, 1974-2015, Single Grain, Xtra Old Particular (XOP) Range
ABV: 48.9%
Region: Lowlands
Price per bottle: °°°°°
Bottling: Douglas Laing
Cask type: Refill Barrel (DL11029, 141 btl.)

 

Colour: Pale gold.
Nose: Sensual and flavourful on the nose! Delicate toffee, lingering vanilla and subtle coconut flavours deliciously mingle with soft ripe apricots, peaches and tangerine. Candy sweetness is nicely complemented by a smooth spicy touch of oak, cloves and cedarwood.
Palate: Soft and creamy on the palate with vanilla sweetness, toffee, butterscotch and a pleasant fruitiness of dried apricots, apple skins and subtle citric notes. A warming and slightly hot spiciness arrives with pepper, ginger, subtle cloves and sandalwood. Tender coconut flavours nicely linger with caramel towards the finish.
Finish: The finish is medium long, warm and deliciously sweet with toffee and a mild spiciness of oak, cedarwood and cinnamon on the tail.
With water: A few drops of water significantly decrease the delicate sweetness of this grain whisky, bringing more citric flavours to the fore. Very creamy on the palae with vanilla, toffee, subtle coconut and a mix of sligthly warming spices. The finish is medium long, sherbety, with vanilla, cinnamon and prickling oak on the tail.
Comments: A wonderful single grain whisky from a forgotten distillery closed in summer 1986. Smooth, creamy and very appealing. Although 41 years of age, the influence of the wood is obvious but the oak isn't overpowering at all. The spirit has extracted delicate toffee, vanilla and coconut flavours over time and is in perfect balance with subtle flavours of sandalwood and cedarwood coming from the oak. Don't add water! A brilliant whisky experience - I very much enjoyed this beauty!

 

I thank Douglas Laing for the sample and the photograph!