Glen Grant 53 Years Old Gordon & MacPhail Licensed Bottling 40% 1957

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (91)

Haven’t we already tried many superb old Glen Grants from Elgin’s whisky magicians? One the very few whisky companies that seem to have always been thinking long-term, while so many others are trying hard to reduce their TTM these days. Yes, that would be time-to-market, and no, we won’t talk NAS today because remember, this is Christmas!

Colour: pale gold, almost straw.

Nose: oh, glorious! Little sherry if any, rather many kinds of soft fruit compotes covered with light honey (or say greengage jam with acacia honey), plus just wee whiffs of ointments (Vicks?), eucalyptus, pinesap… It’s all very subtle, complex, not unlike an old Meursault or something like that… One to sip while watching a Bergman. Mouth: what? I had feared it would be a little, say faded, but not at all, this is bright and lively, and deliciously fruity. I’m finding preserved pineapples, tangerines, apple compote, the very same greengage jam as on the nose, and this perfect honeyed development that’s often so great in the very old lightly or totally unsherried whiskies. Also love all these tiny herbs that only appear after a few decades, as well as the hints of glazed chestnuts. Tends to become beautifully almondy as well. The mouth feel’s impressive as well, all 40 percents are firing.

Finish: granted, it’s not very long, but it’s flawless. We’ve known old dry sémillons that were a bit like this, on quinces and apricots.

Comments: all elegance and, indeed, luxury. As I often say or write, luxury is not the opposite of cheapness, it’s the opposite of vulgarity (well, that’s what Coco Chanel used to say, I did not invent that one!

BOW (94)