BMC’s Nc’Nean Night: Original, Huntress Orchard Cobbler, Quiet Rebels Gordon

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A few years ago, at Nürnberg’s The Village whisky fair, I was introduced to a new Highland distillery – Nc’Nean. The ladies were passionate about their venture – committed to crafting an organic whisky in harmony with the environment, aiming to make a big impression with a small footprint. In a short time, their founder Annabel Thomas and team have made their mark.

Here’s how the folks at Nc’Nean introduce their distillery:

Hello, we’re Nc’nean. A small team of eco-conscious drinks fanatics on a mission to change the way the world thinks about whisky from Scotland. To create delicious, experimental spirits which can exist in harmony with this planet we call home.

Our small distillery is located in the village of Drimnin on the Morvern peninsula on the West Coast of Scotland, and our copper pot stills are powered by 100% renewable energy. B Corp certified and verified net zero carbon emissions for scopes 1 and 2, we put the planet first. Using only organic Scottish barley, long mashing and fermentation times, and playing with yeasts not always used in whisky distilling, we produce elegant unpeated whiskies which are fruity on the palate, and are bottled in 100% recycled glass bottles.

The Nc’Nean whiskies selected by our Bombay Malt & Cigar club host were:

  • Nc’Nean Organic Single Malt Original 46% £51.75
  • Nc’Nean Huntress – Orchard Cobbler (2019 / 2024) 3rd Release 48.5% £85.71
  • Nc’Nean Quiet Rebels – Gordon (2018 / 2023) 3rd Release 48.5% £71.55

Nc’Nean Organic Single Malt Original 46%

  • Nose – Delicate, floral, fresh farm to apples and honey. It was fruity and fun, with loads of fresh apple juice, with the florals fading as it opened up. Over time, it was joined by sweet lemon barley water
  • Palate – Initially a bit spicy, with a debate whether it is more cayenne or black pepper. It settled down into a warm apple pie
  • Finish – A long, peppery finish
  • Water – We added just to see what it would do. It enhanced the bitterness, tempering the sweetness, so that the apple sauce morphed into the apple core with seeds
  • Revisit – With the revisit, the lemon barley became more pronounced than the apple cider

It was described as being like walking through a garden into an orchard… It was a pleasant, easy-going dram, making it a rather good start to our explorations.

What more do we know?

This is our flagship whisky – elegant and fruity with flavours of citrus, peach, apricot and spice. Those lovely citrus and peach flavours come from our spirit, the spice from our STR casks and the signature body and texture comes from our 100% organic barley. Find out more about what casks we’ve used for which batch, the source of the barley, the yeast used or the date it was bottled using the dropdown menu below. You’ll find the batch number or code on the back of the neck label.

Unfortunately, I didn’t catch a glimpse of the batch, so didn’t want to guess any further details!

The Huntress series is an annual limited release. The team at Nc’Nean introduces this Huntress – Orchard Cobbler expression as follows:

This particular Huntress release is incredibly unique, in that the spirit used is only produced once a year when the distillers cross over from one distillation recipe to another.

We run two different spirit runs each year, one for whisky set to be released at a younger age, and one set to be released after ten plus years. The spirit matured for Huntress Orchard Cobbler comes from the distillation in the week after this spirit recipe is switched over – a time where cut points are changed and unusually high fruity compounds flood into the spirit. So fruity, that the whisky is named after one of the team’s favourite desserts.

What did we think?

Nc’Nean Huntress – Orchard Cobbler (Aug 2019 / March 2024) 3rd Release 48.5%

  • Nose – Quite active to start, unripe plums, some ginger spice, lots of candied apples, toffee that was nearly fudge, banana peel, ripe fruits
  • Palate – Warm apple sauce, toffee sweetness. Think of an apple mille-feuille with vanilla custard!
  • Finish – A nice peppery finish
  • Water – Amps up the spice, then settles nicely

We found this interesting – youthful yet with enough going on to work.

Casks make all the difference; this Huntress expression is a product of three casks: STR (66%), ex-Bourbon (31%), and Oloroso (3%).

Nc’Nean calls their team the Quiet Rebels. Hence, it is only fitting that they have a series devoted to key members of their team!

Our bottle? We tried “Gordon” for Gordon Wood, distillery manager, described as having:

Spent 23 years with one of the giants of the industry. Loves the West Coast. Bringing it all together at Nc’nean. Has a life goal to get to work by boat one day.

And what about the whisky expression?

Nc’Nean Quiet Rebels Gordon (2018/2019 – Aug/Sep 2023) 3rd Release 48.5%

  • Nose – Very different than both the Original and Huntress! Instead of apples, we were greeted with lemon drops, an evolved floral, vanilla, and yellow fruit blend – particularly yellow plum, lemon custard pie, apple compote, candied ginger, lightly milky, and dulce de leche. Yum!
  • Palate – So smooth, buttery, a great mouthfeel, candied orange rind, gentle spice, oak, vanilla, ripe orchard fruits… all in great balance!
  • Finish – Lovely
  • Water – Not necessary; however, if you want to add, it enhances the wood element
  • Revisit – After remaining in the glass for some time, it was even creamier. A delight!

We really enjoyed this one. It was by far our favourite! For me, this was the dram to settle down with for the rest of our evening!

What more do we know? It is made from a trio of casks filled between September 2018 and July 2019, and a third undisclosed cask from an earlier period: 74% STR red wine casks, 19% ex-sherry, and 7% ex-Rivesaltes (French fortified wine). Bottled between August to September 2023, it is unfortunately sold out.

There you have it – a nice leisurely exploration of a trio from Nc’Nean!

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2025 Whisky Show – Arbikie’s Field to Bottle Rye

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Our 2025 London Whisky Show tastings were beginning to pick up pace! From a ‘breakfast dram’ to our Lochside Dream Dram, Elixir’s Single Malts of Scotland offerings to a remarkable flight with Glen Grant’s core expressions – including the more mature drams, then a short pit stop in our home country India with Amrut… it was time to delve into something new!

There has been talk for some time of Rye’s revival. Certainly, Canada and the US remain dominant players. New craft distilleries are popping up all over – particularly in the US and Europe. More recently, we’ve enjoyed meeting the Finnish gents behind Kyrö Malt Rye, Denmark’s Stauning Rye, Germany’s Stork Club Rye…

In the midst of all of this, is there also a “Rye-naissance” in Scotland? Technically, a “Scottish Rye” doesn’t exist as a separate category and falls under “Grain” whisky. A pioneer in bringing a focus specifically on Rye is Arbikie.

Now, I must admit, before we stopped by their stand, we knew very little about this new Highland distillery – Arbikie.

Now, I must admit, before we stopped by their stand, we knew very little about this new Highland distillery – Arbikie. Their philosophy is straight-foward yet challenging with a Field to Bottle approach:

Today, our distillery sits a stones throw from our fields with an incredible Distillery Experience overlooking them.

We’ve always farmed with absolute respect for the land. The addition of a distillery has not changed our commitment to minimising any environmental impact. Provenance and traceability at Arbikie doesn’t stop with just our crops and water. We use juniper in our spirits – so we grow our own juniper. We use honey – produced by the bees on our farm. We use solar power, and our distilling from start to finish uses negligible miles for its production. The primary waste product from distilling is recycled wherever possible as feed for cattle.

We explored most of the Ryes on offer, skipping over the Chilli Vodka and Artists Edition… Whilst not confirmed, these are all likely 2025 editions.

The lovely lass at the booth led us through the expressions – beginning with their starting point – The Original.

Arbikie The Original Highland Rye 1794 48%

What did we find?

  • Aroma – Lots of cereals, black tea, some tight berries, a bit feinty, quite unique
  • Palate – Rather nice, peppery, more of the cereals – lightly roasted this time – joined by fruits, like apple in a crumble
  • Finish – Follows through, whilst not very long, it worked well

And that chocolate that they had to accompany the Rye’s? Perfection! It paired very well and brought out a hint of marmalade in the Rye too.

Here’s what they have to say:

We combine our unique use of rye with new charred American oak, and leave this lively oak to do its magic. The result is a highly original whisky that fires the imagination and the senses with exciting flavours and aromas. The new charred American oak barrel complements the flavours of the rye, wheat and malted barley grains-imparting rich colour and deep flavour.

What more do we know? From the bottle, they shared that they use a Winter Rye (60%), Spring Malted Barley (25%), and Winter Wheat (15%) from their own fields.

Next up, we shifted into their sherry expression – more specifically with a PX cask.

Arbikie The PX Highland Rye 1794 48%

What did we think?

  • Aroma – Remember those cereals with The Original that had a hint of marmalade hiding? Well, it was quite pronounced with the PX, joined by some sweet spices like cloves, dark honey, or perhaps maple syrup?
  • Palate – Warm fruity and really rather nice
  • Finish – Not much but nice

Here’s what the Arbikie folks shared about their PX Rye:

As with THE ORIGINAL, we combine our unique use of rye with new charred American oak, and leave this lively oak to do its magic. With THE PX we don’t stop there. The spirit is then matched with PEDRO XIMÉNEZ casks, a traditional Andalusian Sherry Wine, adding an exciting flavour dimension to our characterful and rich Original 1794.

What more do we know? It has the same grain/malt break-up as The Original with Winter Rye (60%), Spring Malted Barley (25%), and Winter Wheat (15%). Basically, it was The Original with a 6 month PX finish!

We were enjoying our experience so far, but what about their Peated expression? Whilst a bit early in the day for peat, our guide explained that they used an ex-Laphroig cask rather than peated barley for a lighter approach.

Arbikie The Peated Highland Rye 1794 48%

What was our experience?

  • Nose – How is this possible? There is EVEN MORE marmalade here! Think a heavy had with orange rind joining the cereals and some salted caramel
  • Palate – Softer than expected, a subtle peat, cereals remain with spice
  • Finish – Carries through with a puff of smoke

Exactly like The PX, they use The Original as their base for The Peated expression:

The journey of The PEATED Rye begins in our fields. We sow the crops from our land and this blend begins with Winter Rye (60%), Spring Malted Barley (25%), and Winter Wheat (15%)…

The spirit is then matched with casks previously used to mature PEATED ISLAY whisky, adding an exciting flavour dimension to our characterful and rich Original 1794.

I’ve come to really appreciate the influence of an ex-peaty cask over peated barley. And, again, – the dark chocolate is a great combination with the Rye!

We closed our flight with their Distiller’s Edition No 1.

Arbikie Distillers Edition  No 1, 5 year Cask Strength #53, 73, 76, 77 59.7%

What did we find?

  • Nose – Subtle, that consistent cereal quality, is there also a hint of peat too? And that lovely marmalade, roasted caramelised pineapples and oranges, sweet spices
  • Palate – Sweet, spice, think black tea with cardamon, cloves, and black pepper with loads of milk and sugar, joined by a hint of peat
  • Finish – To be honest, I didn’t make a note!

Here’s what they have to say:

This series adds a unique element to our 1794 Highland Rye Single Grain Scotch Whisky. It will feature limited releases of inspiring and deeply flavoured editions of our rye whisky, chosen by our expert distillers. Each edition will possess its own nuanced flavour and character.

This first edition of our Distillers Cask Strength Series features a hand-picked combination of four 5-year-old casks, chosen to accentuate the complexity and depth of our estate grown rye coupled with the influence of the selected casks.

This original meld creates aromas of chai tea, baked oranges, crème brûlée and smoke.
On the palate are complex layers of chai tea, caramelised pears, baked oranges and smoke. A truly unique experience not to be missed – with only 966 bottles created.

What more do we know? The 4 casks were also a combination of ingredients too: Magnifico Scottish Rye, Zulu Scottish Wheat, and Concerto Scottish Malted Barley.

Overall, these four expressions were a rather good introduction. And whilst I’m still not a major Rye fan, it is nice to see a single farm estate pull together quite credible results with everything local!

Curious about other Rye tasting experiences? Here are a few notable ones over the years:

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Duncan Taylor’s Octave – Craigellachie 17 year (20025) 54% 

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Technically, my whisky hosting for the Bombay Malt & Cigar evening in October 2025 was only a trio. And a mighty fine trio it was – starting with a lovely Lowland Glenkinchie; followed by a wonderfully balanced Speyside with a simply delicious Aultmore; closing with a beautiful Balblair from the Highlands.

However, we came back from the Whisky Show with a wee bonus dram that simply could not be missed!

Craigellachie 17 year (Jun 2008 / 25 Aug 2025) Madeira Wine Cask No 7547103 54% (Duncan Taylor – Octave)

  • Nose – Gorgeous! Dark, steeped fruit, Christmas pudding, sweet spices, big, bold, and beautiful
  • Palate – The Madeira element was unmistakable – in a wonderful way. Sweet and full- flavoured, it is quite powerful at full strength
  • Finish – Sweet, long, and chewy
  • Water – An absolute must! It opens the whisky up in the most marvelous way, loads of creamy aromas join the luscious dark fruits

This was a stunner – made even better with a generous splash of water. We found it quite autumnal – mature, full, and fabulous. A worthy dram to definitively close our whisky tasting and accompany the next section of the evening – the cigars.

What about other Craigellachie experiences? Read on…

It was a great bonus after a terrific trio of consistently good drams:

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Chorlton’s Balblair 16 year (2025) 55.8%

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The Bombay Malt & Cigar club began over a Balblair 38 year from 1966… and continues to have a soft spot for special drams from this Highland distillery. When my most recent purchase from Chorlton arrived in Mumbai in time for my October 2025 hosting, I simply had to include it in my session!

Balblair 16 year (Spring 2025) hogshead 55.8% 271 bottles

  • Nose – Honeysuckle, peaches, bananas, sweet pastry, a “French Fancy” in a glass, joyful and bright, a hint of mineral, then moves more into berries and herbs
  • Palate – Starts off a bit prickly, quite active, and calls out for some water
  • Water – Do please add, it then became a marvelous mess of Madeira cake, marmalade, joined by minerals in a lovely way – delicious!
  • Finish – Dry, very wood forward

This too was another beautiful Balblair. It was “dessert in a glass”! Bright, fruity, classic, more than able to hold its own.

Here’s what David shared on his website about this Balblari:

I’m delighted to present the first Chorlton bottling from one of my favourite distilleries! Reliably the fruitiest Highlander this side of Hector McDram.

The nose is enticing and a little idiosyncratic, with honey, dessert wines, rose petals, blackcurrant branches and fruit cordials. The texture on the palate is remarkable – chewy and dense, while somehow also light and lively. Taste-wise I find cherries, Gewürztraminer, oranges and limes, and a blackberry pie with cinnamon and brown sugar. A drop of water has green apple sweets and citrus popping out.

This is a wonderfully fruity, floral and complex whisky. What a spirit!

I bought this whisky online in the UK directly from David in April 2025 for £95 + 8 shipping (Eur 120). Which puts this into a pricier category for me, except for special treats. 

Curious about other Balblair experiences? Read on…

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Whisky Auction – Provenance’s Aultmore 9 year (2000) 46% 

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Next up from my Whisky Auctions bottle was an Aultmore from 2000. It was the perfect progression from the lovely Lowland Glenkinchie 10 year…  Over the years, I’ve encountered a few rather yummy Aultmore’s so I had high hopes for this one too!

We didn’t get off to a good start… Before we could even get the whisky in the glass, we had a small challenge with the cork crumbling! Now… to be fair, this bottle had some 15 years of waiting before being opened for our tasting, so it wasn’t a complete shocker. Whilst I have a habit of periodically turning my bottles upside down to wet the cork and sometimes even sealing the top with parafin, as an auction purchase, I have no clue how it was stored. Instead of getting upset, we simply used it as an excuse to decant and dive in!

So… what did we discover?

Aultmore 9 year Provenance (Autumn 2000 / Spring 2010) Sherry Cask No 6211 46.8% (Douglas McGibbon & Co. Ltd)

  • Nose – Sour cherry, becoming increasingly fruity the longer it was in the glass, creamy vanilla, such a dessert dram! Moist carrot muffin with cream cheese icing, apricots, ice cream soda, topped with a warm caramel custard – yum!
  • Palate – Soft, fruity, balanced with a wonderful mouthfeel, more of that dessert dram quality!
  • Finish – Light spice
  • Water – I didn’t think it needed it, however, when added, I’m so glad that I did! It brought so much more – augmenting and marrying the various elements together even more beautifully

There was little doubt this dram hit the spot. Many returned to it over and over to accompany their cigars later in the evening. I managed to snag a bit to bring home and found it got even better with a little oxidation. I’m sure what remained in the decanter must be a most enjoyable dram!

Tasting notes were shared on the label:

Distinctly spicy and sweet as it opens – then more of a macerated fruit content comes through with more spice all on the nose. The palate is more Sherried than the colour suggests – being sweet, smooth and rather fruity – even with some light camphor and late dulcet barley sugar. The finish replicates the palate nicely.

What about other Aultmore experiences?

Yet again, we thoroughly enjoyed this expression and were ready for the next whisky!

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Whisky Auction – Glenkinchie 10 year 40%

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The Lowlands of Scotland are often over-looked, given it had only 2 single malt distilleries active in 2000 – Auchentoshan and Glenkinchie.  Yet it was once known for malts with a gentle elegance, stunning drams like Rosebank and old grains like Cambus from discontinued distilleries…  Today we have many new players like Lindores Abbey, Lochlea, Alisa Bay, Lagg, and others – some of whom have shifted deeply into peat rather than the earlier lighter Lowland “style”.

As I went through the Whisky Auction and spotted a 200ml of Glenkinchie 10 year from before 2008, I thought it would be a perfect example of an earlier Lowland experience. Whilst the period for this expression was 1987 – 2007, based on the “Classic Malts of Scotland” label, box colour, I believe it is from the late 1990s, though I could be mistaken. I picked it up for ~Eur 27 (including shipping & auction fees).

Glenkinchie 10 year (~late 1990s) 43%

  • Nose – Bright, floral – particularly white flowers then tube roses, sharp green apple, inviting, cereals, honey suckle sweet, then gradually became more subdued, a little shy, shifting from green apples to red, from spring to summer…
  • Palate – Dry, apricot pits, simple and straightforward yet with a rather nice mouthfeel, whilst light, there was some substance there too
  • Finish – Medium long

Sometimes being “quite pleasant” is simply perfect! That’s exactly what we welcome. I was completely satisfied with this expression and delighted we had a chance to try it.

There remained a few drams in the bottle, enabling an opportunity to revisit at home for a quiet evening, free from distractions. It was even more enjoyable.

Based on this experience, I think I may need to keep an eye out for more Glenkinchie tasting opportunities! Prior to this, my experience was limited to just two expressions:

What else did we try in our rare evening?

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BMC Lowland, Highland, Speyside across the decades

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For our October 2025 Bombay Malt & Cigar Club evening, I decided to do a bit of housecleaning. Some years ago, I experimented with whisky auctions. In truth, I did a spray and pray approach and walked away with a fairly random trio. Fast forward to the move back to India, I managed to sell the Adnamurchan yet kept the Glenkinchie and Aultmore. So when it came time to craft a tasting, I decided to pull out the remaining pair and select a 3rd bottle that I just desperately wanted to open!

What did I pick?

Glenkinchie 10 year (~1990s) 43%

We began with a 10-year Lowland, likely from the 1990s. It was an original bottle put out by the distillery at a perfect size for sampling at 200ml. I picked it up for ~Eur 27 (including shipping & auction fees).

Aultmore 9 year (Autumn 2000 / Spring 2010) Provenance Cask No 6211 46.8% (Douglas McGibbon & Co. Ltd)

We then shifted gears to a youthful Speyside from the turn of the millennium. I’ve not had many “Provenance” Casks from independent bottler Douglas McGibbon & Co, so I was curious. This was another whisky auction purchase for ~Eur 59 (including shipping & auction fees).

Balblair 16 year (Spring 2025) hogshead 55.8% (Chorlton)

We moved on to the highlands with a brand new Chorlton – independent bottler from Manchester. You’ve seen enough Chorlton’s to know, I’m a fan. As for Balblair? I also admit to having a soft spot. I purchased it directly from Chorlton for £95 plus shipping.

Craigallachie 17 year (Jun 2008 / 25 Aug 2025) Madeira Wine Cask No 7547103 54% (Duncan Taylor – Octave) 63 bottles

I should have stopped there, yet I couldn’t resist adding a little bonus from London’s 2025 Whisky Show. Yum!

Just click on the links above for tasting notes and our overall experience! Sláinte!

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2025 Whisky Show – Amrut

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The 2025 London Whisky Show is a brilliant way to explore world whiskies. Whilst the focus was on the Nordics, with a Nordic Zone this year, we simply had to make a pit stop by Amrut to check out their new expressions!

Nilesh kindly walked us through two samples:

  • Amrut 7 year Special Limited Edition (2016 – 2025) Single Cask 197 UK Exclusive 60% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 146)
  • Amrut Single Malts Of India Marudham 46% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 83)

Whilst this was just a brief sniff, swish and spit, it was great to taste a few drams outside their core range.

Amrut Special Limited Edition 7 year (01/2016 – 2025) Ex-Bourbon Single Cask 197, 60% UK Exclusive 143 Bottles

  • Nose – Fruity, sweet, juicy raisins, dripping in caramel
  • Palate – Spicy! Can see the strength of 60% punching through, powerful and full force – tropical fruits, most heated spice
  • Finish – Carries through

With just a wee splash in our glass, we couldn’t really add a few drops of water, however, I have a feeling that’s exactly what this whisky needs!

Amrut Marudham (2024) 46% (Single Malts of India)

  • Nose – Tropical fruits bursting out of the glass, joined by a delicious chocolate hazelnut
  • Palate – Softer than anticipated, well balanced with tropical fruits, wood, spice, and sweet – think condensed maple syrup
  • Finish – Nice tingle, caramel, and vanilla

Whilst there is a lot going on, it is surprisingly approachable. And with that, we were ready to move on to our next whisky stand, grateful to have a chance for a quick pit stop!

If you are curious about other Amrut experiences, please check out:

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2025 Whisky Show – Glen Grant Flight Part 2

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At London’s 2025 Whisky Show, I was reminded of the importance of refreshing our whisky tasting range – including stalwarts. Til date, I’ve mostly shared tasting notes on rare and elusive Glen Grant expressions. If it is a 12-year-old expression, then it must be from the 1970s! If it’s a young 5-year-old, well then, it was bottled 50 years ago! Or perhaps it was matured for a “mere” 60 years or 64 years before being bottled?!? Let’s be honest, these were all incredible once-in-a-lifetime experiences! Ones that I would never be able to repeat.

So, what about us normal folks who don’t mind the occasional indulgence that is still somewhat accessible? Enter the special yet still available mature Glen Grant expressions with their current core collection:

  • Glen Grant 21 year (2024) 46% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 252)
  • Glen Grant 25 year 46% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 699 aka 1 Dream Dram Token)
  • Glen Grant 30 year 55% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 1250 aka 3 Dream Dram Tokens)

Glen Grant 21 year (2024) 46%

With 20% Oloroso, this was bound to have a sherry touch, yet more restrained. What did we think?

  • Nose – Bright, nuanced, complex yet incredibly well-balanced between the warm, juicy fruits (think peach or nectarine), gentle baking spices (cinnamon, ginger, allspice), and caramel
  • Palate – Delicate, elegant, and well-rounded. The fruit shifted from sunny orchards to humid tropics.
  • Finish – Soft, toffee sweet, lovely!

It was like the first sunlight – the rays gently warm, the light gradually increasing… A delight to the nose and palate.

What do they have to say?

The exquisite palate of 21-Year-Old whisky presents a soft, welcoming mouthfeel, with an explosion of rich tropical fruits and creamy butter notes, followed by a long, luxurious finish of caramelised crème brûlée.

Would we agree? Yes indeed!

Glen Grant 25 year 46%

Increasing the sherry quotient to around 40% had a clear influence on this expression.

  • Nose – Loads of dark fruits, dusky, dusty, then brightens into candied sweet
  • Palate – A wonderfully full mouthfeel, roll it around, savouring the soft fruits, some melted chocolate, delicious!
  • Finish – Simply stunning

As for Grant & Sons, they share the following about this expression:

The Glen Grant 25-Year-Old promises discovery and delight. With velvety smoothness and definitive notes dried stone fruit and toffee. Sweet aromas open up to rich dark chocolate flavours and a lingering warm spice and soft smoke finish.

We would certainly agree.

Glen Grant 30 year 55%

Whilst this isn’t yet widely available, a teaser was available at London’s Whisky Show.

  • Nose – Subtle at first, with soft fruits, gradually opening in the glass. It was a “comfort” dram, we were enveloped in a warm blanket of welcome aromas – fruity, sweet, and more!
  • Palate – Soft, with a hint of mineral, like the shavings of a graphite pencil, then the fruits came forward, followed by gentle sweet spices, a deeper undertone
  • Finish – Simply beautiful. An incredibly long finish

Here is what Glen Grant has to say about this upcoming expression:

A rare and exquisite 30-Year-Old whisky. It reveals a rich and complex bouquet that, after its rich and distinctive finish, will leave you longing for more. Uniting The Glen Grant’s delicate, fruity character with a deeper, darker profile.

Like previous older Glen Grant expressions, this was the gift they kept on giving. Long after our glass was empty, we could revisit simply by sniffing the glass. As we knew this would be a hard act to follow, it was clearly time to take a wee lunch break before heading back into the fray!

Curious to know more? Check out the Glen Grant Whisky Flight – Part 1

As for other older expressions? I’ve been so fortunate to try a few rare and mature drams:

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2025 Whisky Show – Glen Grant Flight Part 1

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Sometimes we pass over the standards simply because we are distracted by shiny new toys. At London’s 2025 Whisky Show, as people thronged around all the rare and old, the distinct and limited drams, the weird and wacky experiments… we spotted just beyond the Glen Grant stand.

I remember how terrific it was to have a consistent Glen Grant calibration dram before diving into special tasting sessions. And decided to slow down, take a beat with an old friend, giving it the attention it deserves with a proper flight… beginning with their current core range before moving on to a new limited release series… and I’m so glad we did!

  • Glen Grant 12 year 43% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 44.5)
  • Glen Grant 18 year 43% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 125)
  • Glen Grant 15 year Batch Strength 1st Edition 50% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 65)
  • Glen Grant Exploration No 1 Rum Cask 48% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 86)

Glen Grant 12 year 43%

On the nose, we get delicious baked goods, like apple pie or apple crumble, sweet spices, then shifts into a tart apple cidar, pear jelly, white flowers, honey, overall quite joyous. On the palate, it is simply easy, fruity, and fun. We found more of that apple pie, joined by caramel, nuts, and sweet spices like cinnamon and ginger, with a finish that rewards with lightly roasting the spices.

We thought it would make a rather fine whisky highball!

Glen Grant 18 year 43%

Deliberately skipping over the 15 year, we went straight to the 18 year. It greeted us with similar elements as the 12-year yet softer, layered, both more elegant and more decadent. On the palate, it was simply delicious with a lovely finish.

We pronounced this a fine “proper” classic dram.

Glen Grant 15 year Batch Strength 1st Edition 50%

This whisky is again, like a variation on a consistent, classic theme – just more amplified – in a good way! As I had sampled this expression quite recently, I skipped it in favour of going straight to our next offering…

Glen Grant Exploration No 1 Rum Cask 48%

Again, there is a clear continuity between the expressions, yet this time it was even sweeter! The nose amped up the caramel, something almost like a whiff of peach crumble, then became quite tropical with generous ripe bananas, juicy sultanas, and sweet spices. The palate was simply enjoyable, fruity, full of flavour, bright and zesty! Was that a hint of ginger in the finish?

This may seem counterintuitive given the rum influence; however, we thought this expression might make a rather regal old-fashioned!

What do the folks at Glen Grant have to say about their latest expression?

The Glen Grant Exploration Series celebrates ‘The Major’s’ own journey of discovery in his worldly quest to uncover unique flavours. The inaugural limited-edition release, Exploration No.1 showcases our delicately aromatic and fruity signature character, finished in exquisite rum casks, bottled at 48% ABV and non-chill filtered. After maturation in bourbon barrels, the whisky is transferred into the finest rum casks for finishing, resulting in a tropical influence of spice, rich dark sugar and ripe banana.

What a brilliant re-introduction to an industry standard. This reminded me that we shouldn’t always chase after the crazy and new, we should revisit distilleries we thought we knew too! And be reminded why they have been in the business for the long haul – in the case of The Glen Grant – that is for some 180 years!

What’s up in Part 2? We graduate into the mature, fully adult category – the world above 18 years! The kind of drams responsible for The Glen Grant’s venerable reputation!

  • Glen Grant 21 year (2024) 46% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 252)
  • Glen Grant 25 year 46% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 699 aka 1 Dream Dram Token)
  • Glen Grant 30 year 55% (2025 Whisky Show – GBP 1250 aka 3 Dream Dram Tokens)

As for other Glen Grant tasting experiences?

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