Glen Garioch, 2003, Cask #808
Glen Garioch is an underrated distillery, and with the power of Suntory Global Spirits behind it, a potential sleeping giant of Scotch whisky. This 2003 single cask is exactly why Glen Garioch could and should have a bright future. Bottled exclusively for Wu Dram Clan in 2003 from Cask #808, this whisky was aged in a first-fill Oloroso sherry cask and has slowly gained a fabled reputation among experienced whisky drinkers. Today, it's only available on collector specialist sites for many times its original price.
Nose
Rancio, sticky toffee pudding, antique oak
Palate
Rich texture, dried fruit, leather
Finish
Oak tannins, baking spices, Raisins
As soon as you set eyes on this Glen Garioch, with its deep auburn hue, you know you're in for something rich and dark. And that's just what you get. On the nose, the cask is bursting out of the glass with jammy dark fruits, while the malt character impressively still comes through with a sweetness that grows and is somewhat singed. On the palate, it is mouth-coating and puckering, and there are leather straps, wood varnish, and some dried fruit character while remaining bright. The finish shows a little heat in the form of baking spices, and those fruits linger right till the end. A surprising Glen Garioch that delivers more than the 21 years on the label.
A certified sherry bomb right from the off. The nose is full of rich maturity: dark chocolate, stewed fruits and rancio. There's a touch of minerality in the background, like petrichor, but it's the intense sweetness that keeps you coming back for another sniff. The palate delivers on everything the nose promised: full-bodied, rich cacao, and stewed fruits. That rancio and minerality comes in at the finish, which turns into antique varnished wood in a long finish. I can't say there's much of Glen Garioch's distillery character left, but that's no surprise. This is a fully matured whisky that has been plucked out of a highly prized cask at just the right time.
