Glen Garioch 25 Years Old 25th Anniversary Usquebaugh Society Cask 7937 56.7% 1990

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (90)

Our Dutch friends don’t only produce gouda, tulips, weed, and tax shelters, they’re also quite good at selecting casks…

Colour: full gold.

Nose: there’s more oak in this one, more butterscotch, more fudge, more toasted brioche… The ‘problem’ is that it combines extremely well with the earthy/smoky style of the spirit. You’re drinking lapsang souchong while sucking fudge and smoking a Partagas. I said a Partagas. Some lemon may be involved somewhere. With water: mud, in a great way. Perhaps a little pipe juice.

Mouth (neat): clearly the Signatory with more oak influence. All a matter of taste, and while I tend to prefer the sharper and cleaner styles, I’m finding this just as superb (hey, do you think that makes much sense, S.?). Loud applause. With water: softer notes, vanilla, raisins, dried apricots… And fudge!

Finish: rather long, a little buttery. Buttered fudge. I tried an excellent one recently, I’ll give you the name, wait… Right, found the empty box, it is (was) called Mr Stanley.

Comments: another exceptional 1990 Glen Garioch. Despite the fudge. And it’s a little moving to be reminded of Slim Cowell’s fantabulous bottlings of earlier Glen Gariochs.

BOW (90)