Soundtrack:
In Quantum - Memory 417
Glen Grant 25yo (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, b.1980s): nose: caramel, cold coffee and a pinch of dust. Immediately behind that, we have encaustic, lacquered wood, furniture wax, then pineapple slices in syrup, physalis, soaking in liqueur, caramel-and-liqueur-topped flan, treacle, poured on custard, banana skins, slightly-nutty peach syrup, kumquat, crystallising in simmering liqueur. Fresh peppercorns complete the picture, straight from the plantation. Mouth: soft and silky, it soon cranks up the volume, with a pinch of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger powder), though it is mostly a gentle one; caramel poured on custard, butterscotch, smashed banana, baked banana, buttery fudge, wine-soaked tangerine segments, a drop of furniture wax and olive oil. Finish: similar notes, here, with coffee-infused banana bread, custard and caramel fudge. Some olive oil again, ground macadamia, oily and softly nutty, a pinch of cocoa powder, and a distant hint of honey. Honey-glazed banana bread becomes clearer with each sip. I could drink this all night! 8/10
The following miniature has a terrible fill level. It was one centimetre lower when I received it than on the seller's picture -- and the stopper does not close properly. Fingers crossed!
 |
| Seller's picture |
 |
| Picture on arrival |
Glengrant-Glenlivet 18yo 1972/1990 (46%, Cadenhead, Sherry Cask): nose: zomgue! Lychee, carambola, dragon fruit, ripe Chinese gooseberry, juicy pineapple chunks, white peach, even strawberries... Yeah, it is quite the f-bomb, in case I was not clear. An empty tin lies next to that (even though the pineapple is fresh, not tinned), and half a spoonful of coffee grounds is sprinkled on the lot. It is fresh and clean as a fresh-and-clean thing. Ridiculous nose! It has a gentle herbal note too: mint, perhaps, or tarragon. As I tilt the glass, honeysuckle invades my nostrils, complementing the fruit perfectly. Pomelo, calamansi, pink grapefruit -- holy shiznit! Much later, it becomes a spicier fragrance of mukhwas (roasted coriander, sugar ball, sesame seeds, chanoti leaves, fennel seeds -- they are served with the bill, in Indian restaurants, if you have ever dined in one). Mouth: all sorts of honeys on the tongue (clover, manuka, prickly-pear, acacia), beeswax and some of that gorgeous fruit from the nose: peach, pineapple, dragon fruit. This time, mirabelle plum and persimmon are also present. Lychee soon comes back, covered in honey. Rosewater, orange-blossom water, magnolia... This is beguiling! Further, canary melon, hints of maracuja, as well as tatters of mint leaves. I mean: phwoar! you know? Finish: the spell continues, with lychee, dragon fruit, white peach, canary melon, mirabelle plum, notions of grapefruit -- the latter is shy, but it is there. It has less honey, here, and more coffee, although it is not a bother to me. One can also feel the reduction, which does not move the attention away from the sheer brilliance of the dram; simply, the French would likely complain that it is not cask strength. By luck, no Frenchman is around. Phew. Mint ends up settling down, giving the whole a remarkable freshness, while letting the fruit shine. And what is this? Celery sticks? As unexpected as it may be, you better believe it. What a dram! Whatever comes after this has big shoes to fill! 10/10
Glen Grant-Glenlivet 25yo 1992/2018 (50.4%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Barrel, 144b): I remember being very enthused by this one,
when it was released. But how will it face such stern competition? Only one way to find out, innit! Nose: it is, of course, a much more potent potable, and it smells that way. Lots of honeys and beeswax, furniture polish, as well as white peach, cut apricot and polished wood -- more armchair than dashboard. Suddenly, the wood vanishes and makes way for honeysuckle, gorse flowers and yellow tulips. Later on, oily Brazil-nut paste and bergamot jam show up, maybe augmented with a couple of waxy kaffir lime leaves. Mouth: velvety, bursting with apricots, beeswax and manuka honey, it also has green-capsicum shavings. Soon enough, mango appears as well, sprayed with a thin honey drizzle. Cooked fruits are next: baked banana and caramelised satsumas, poached pineapple, crystallised pink grapefruit, basking in lukewarm Montbazillac wine. Soaked cask stoppers, in the back, subtle and pleasant. Finish: the honey and furniture polish are loud, much to my delight. They are supported by milk chocolate, cocoa butter, Brazil-nut paste, baked tangerine and (pink?) grapefruit, whilst a lovely vanilla custard is poured on the whole. A very gentle bitter note keeps one challenged too. This is just as good as I remembered it. It does not have the indomitable brilliance of the 1972, unsurprisingly, yet it is far from ridiculous. I am sure it will benefit from bottle ageing too! 9/10 (
Thanks for the sample, SW)
Glen Grant 25yo (40%, Gordon & MacPhail, b.1980s): nose: caramel, cold coffee and a pinch of dust. Immediately behind that, we have encaustic, lacquered wood, furniture wax, then pineapple slices in syrup, physalis, soaking in liqueur, caramel-and-liqueur-topped flan, treacle, poured on custard, banana skins, slightly-nutty peach syrup, kumquat, crystallising in simmering liqueur. Fresh peppercorns complete the picture, straight from the plantation. Mouth: soft and silky, it soon cranks up the volume, with a pinch of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger powder), though it is mostly a gentle one; caramel poured on custard, butterscotch, smashed banana, baked banana, buttery fudge, wine-soaked tangerine segments, a drop of furniture wax and olive oil. Finish: similar notes, here, with coffee-infused banana bread, custard and caramel fudge. Some olive oil again, ground macadamia, oily and softly nutty, a pinch of cocoa powder, and a distant hint of honey. Honey-glazed banana bread becomes clearer with each sip. I could drink this all night! 8/10
Glengrant-Glenlivet 18yo 1972/1990 (46%, Cadenhead, Sherry Cask): nose: zomgue! Lychee, carambola, dragon fruit, ripe Chinese gooseberry, juicy pineapple chunks, white peach, even strawberries... Yeah, it is quite the f-bomb, in case I was not clear. An empty tin lies next to that (even though the pineapple is fresh, not tinned), and half a spoonful of coffee grounds is sprinkled on the lot. It is fresh and clean as a fresh-and-clean thing. Ridiculous nose! It has a gentle herbal note too: mint, perhaps, or tarragon. As I tilt the glass, honeysuckle invades my nostrils, complementing the fruit perfectly. Pomelo, calamansi, pink grapefruit -- holy shiznit! Much later, it becomes a spicier fragrance of mukhwas (roasted coriander, sugar ball, sesame seeds, chanoti leaves, fennel seeds -- they are served with the bill, in Indian restaurants, if you have ever dined in one). Mouth: all sorts of honeys on the tongue (clover, manuka, prickly-pear, acacia), beeswax and some of that gorgeous fruit from the nose: peach, pineapple, dragon fruit. This time, mirabelle plum and persimmon are also present. Lychee soon comes back, covered in honey. Rosewater, orange-blossom water, magnolia... This is beguiling! Further, canary melon, hints of maracuja, as well as tatters of mint leaves. I mean: phwoar! you know? Finish: the spell continues, with lychee, dragon fruit, white peach, canary melon, mirabelle plum, notions of grapefruit -- the latter is shy, but it is there. It has less honey, here, and more coffee, although it is not a bother to me. One can also feel the reduction, which does not move the attention away from the sheer brilliance of the dram; simply, the French would likely complain that it is not cask strength. By luck, no Frenchman is around. Phew. Mint ends up settling down, giving the whole a remarkable freshness, while letting the fruit shine. And what is this? Celery sticks? As unexpected as it may be, you better believe it. What a dram! Whatever comes after this has big shoes to fill! 10/10
Glen Grant-Glenlivet 25yo 1992/2018 (50.4%, Cadenhead Single Cask, 1 x Bourbon Barrel, 144b): I remember being very enthused by this one, when it was released. But how will it face such stern competition? Only one way to find out, innit! Nose: it is, of course, a much more potent potable, and it smells that way. Lots of honeys and beeswax, furniture polish, as well as white peach, cut apricot and polished wood -- more armchair than dashboard. Suddenly, the wood vanishes and makes way for honeysuckle, gorse flowers and yellow tulips. Later on, oily Brazil-nut paste and bergamot jam show up, maybe augmented with a couple of waxy kaffir lime leaves. Mouth: velvety, bursting with apricots, beeswax and manuka honey, it also has green-capsicum shavings. Soon enough, mango appears as well, sprayed with a thin honey drizzle. Cooked fruits are next: baked banana and caramelised satsumas, poached pineapple, crystallised pink grapefruit, basking in lukewarm Montbazillac wine. Soaked cask stoppers, in the back, subtle and pleasant. Finish: the honey and furniture polish are loud, much to my delight. They are supported by milk chocolate, cocoa butter, Brazil-nut paste, baked tangerine and (pink?) grapefruit, whilst a lovely vanilla custard is poured on the whole. A very gentle bitter note keeps one challenged too. This is just as good as I remembered it. It does not have the indomitable brilliance of the 1972, unsurprisingly, yet it is far from ridiculous. I am sure it will benefit from bottle ageing too! 9/10 (Thanks for the sample, SW)
No comments:
Post a Comment