Glen Grant 12yo
Official Bottling | 43% ABV
It’s never too hot for whisky
As I’m typing this we’re officially experiencing a heatwave in my neck of the woods.
The last week has been warm, not to say hot, with temperatures easily cruising north of 28°C, peaking around 34°C. This may seem mild to some of my American or Australian co-contributors, but here in north-western Europe, anything north of 23°C implies stampedes on trains heading towards the coast, overcrowded outdoor swimming pools and news items prophesying doom and gloom about the water reserve levels.
I know there are plenty of people who relish the idea of a bit of sun and have their towels and bathing suits at the ready the minute a weather forecast promises even the merest ray of sunshine. I enjoy a lovely sunny day as much as everyone, but all in moderation if at all possible. When it’s over 25°C, I’d rather spend my time indoors or at least in the shade because last time I checked, I wasn’t a lizard.
At Dramface, things tend to slow down a bit over summer. Mechanics and editors are enjoying a well-deserved break from the rat race and stress of having to endure our tireless efforts to sneak profanity into our reviews and articles whenever possible. We contributors are focussing on making work-related deadlines so we can enjoy much-needed and welcome family holidays as well, meaning whisky, particularly whisky writing, tends to get temporarily pushed to the back.
Possibly because some will argue that summer lends itself better to more refreshing beverages, such as a nice Prosecco, a gin and tonic, a fresh out of the fridge rosé wine, an ice-cold lager, or whisky gods forbid, cocktails. Quitters, heretics and false prophets, the lot of them.
Whisky is the most versatile drink around and perfectly capable of catering to every season and occasion. Sure, you’ll likely reach past that Aberlour A’bunadh when the paint on your garden shed all but boils away in the blistering sun - and you might not always be in the mood for that Octomore because getting burnt from the outside will suffice without scorching your inside as well. But if you think summer and whisky don’t go together, you probably haven’t found the right summer dram yet.
While it’s perfectly reasonable to ignore the peat monsters and sherry bombs, there’s plenty of good stuff to suit a lovely after dinner dram or even a late afternoon aperitif. Lighter, fruitier whiskies a plenty in fact. Some obvious suggestions would include the beauty that is Glencadam 10 or the often excellent value Compass Box Orchard House, and just recently, Tyree put a Glen Grant 10 to the test as well.
Review
Glen Grant 12yo, 2019 official release. 43% ABV
Generally available everywhere at around £45
While I couldn’t be bothered with the entry level NAS Glen Grant Major’s Reserve, I’m a bit of a sucker for the 10 year old, which, despite the chill filtering and the minimal ABV, is a perfectly pleasant whisky and feels like taking a stroll through an orchard. For around £30, there’s little to argue about in my opinion. The 12 year old is a step up though. It comes in at 43% ABV but is priced quite a bit higher around the £45 mark.
So is it also a step up when it comes to aroma and flavour?
Nose
Soft orchard fruit notes; 50/50 pears and apples. Toffee, with notes of butter, honey, and lemon pie, make for a subtle citrus touch. This is intertwined with a gentle creamy-lactic note, making for an understated nose. And while far from complex, it’s layered, accessible and very well balanced. It’s what you’d call deceptively simple, as there’s more to it than you initially might think.
Palate
Gentle, honey sweet arrival, grainy and slightly grassy. A nice mixture of sweet and gently sour apples. The mouthfeel is quite light to medium and grows increasingly drier as you sip along transcending into a rather long finish that clings to the inside of your cheeks. Overall very light, fresh and pleasant, if a bit straightforward.
The Dregs
By and large, modern Glen Grant is not the sort of brand that tends to get enthusiasts raving and screaming with excitement. It doesn’t have the allure or buzz surrounding Ardbeg or Springbank, and the fact that most official releases are presented with added colouring and either 40% or 43% ABV, doesn’t tend to contribute to any potential X-factor either. But Glen Grant is literally dripping with whisky history and tradition.
The distillery dates back to 1840 and is (to my knowledge) one of very few that’s been continuously operating since its opening. Which means it’s survived, the Pattison Crash, prohibition and the whisky loch of the 1980s. In fact, in the same year as the Pattison Crash (1898), it opened the doors of a second distillery across the road. Initially Glen Grant 2, this second distillery got mothballed soon after, only to be reopened in 1965 as Caperdonich.
By the end of the 19th Century, it was also one of the first global whisky brands, distributed from Europe to the US, Africa and Australia. Perhaps the reason it’s not as celebrated as it could or should be, is exactly because it’s so deeply rooted in tradition. Because tradition often also implies catering to the masses, which, alas, tends to come with lower ABV, striving for a consistent colour and above all, making sure your whisky doesn’t become unappealingly cloudy.
We often moan about how a whisky could bring us significantly more if it were presented at 46% ABV, natural colouring and/or without chill filtering. This, I feel, is another classic example of such a missed opportunity. I don’t want to focus on the negatives here or what could have been because it is what it is. And what it is, is still quite good whisky.
In my opinion the lighter style and profile brought by Glen Grant plays in the same ballpark as Glencadam. It’s not as good and it’s not the same (probably partly due to the reasons mentioned above), but there’s parallels to be found when it comes to flavour profiles and styles.
What puzzles me is why they bother to strip their whisky from potential greatness, especially if you see how Glen Grant make a bit of a song and dance about the use of their purifier installed between the lyne arm and the condenser. While this makes for a subtle, delicate style of whisky, why would you then risk it to literally flush it all away by adding such an unnecessary process like chill filtration?
So I am a bit in two minds about this, but I insist on the positivity taking the upper hand here because it has some things going for it. The price is exactly where it should be. Also, and that’s definitely a plus: Glencadam or Orchard House may not always be readily available, while Glen Grant, in any incarnation and expression, is probably abundantly available pretty much everywhere you go. This means you don’t have to pack one when you go on holiday but can pretty much bank on it that any local supermarket or drinks store will have this sitting on the shelves.
Roll on summer.
Score: 6/10
Tried this? Share your thoughts in the comments below. EA