Tag Archives: Glentauchers

Bonus Glentauchers 2005 43%

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Ding dong! Delivery time! This time a trio of Chorlton’s from the Netherland’s Whisky.base… as I unpacked the box, this little mini came tumbling out…

Now a bonus miniature is a kind gesture… however when it is from the fabulously reliable Gordon & Macphail indie bottler and just so happens to be a distillery – Glentauchers – that tends to produce balanced, lightly fruity drams in a “classic” Speyside style…. well this is indeed a welcome gift!

What exactly did they send?

Glentauchers 13/14 year (2005 / 13 Mar 2019) 43% (Gordon & Macphail)

  • Colour – Pale straw
  • Nose – Syrupy, fruity, a bit of caramel, vanilla… then it opened into a fruit basket – ripe pears, a hint of fresh mint, a squirt of citrus
  • Palate – Hmmm….. kumquats, then is that a hint of smoke? It has a nice bitter quality, woodsy spice, and oily, with some of the fruits on the nose adding just a dash of sweetness on the palate
  • Finish – Dry, a bit bitter, more of that curious smoke, surprisingly has a mineral element too

Overall it was a pleasant dram – my description doesn’t really do it justice – in part as I’m still a bit hampered by the post-COVID impact on my sense of smell.

This 2005 Glentauchers was quite reasonably priced at Eur 62.50 – at least here in Europe.

Curious about other brushes with Glentauchers? Check out a few of our tasting experiences over the years:

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Birthday Drams – Glentauchers 8 year 48.2% (Sansibar)

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It seems a bit ironic that I first discovered independent whisky bottler Sansibar in Singapore, thanks to La Maison du Whisky. At the time, living in Europe was not on the horizon… my life was instead firmly based in Asia, unpacking my bags in Mumbai.

However I’ve since discovered that Sansibar have developed an impressive range! Much more than their “classic” black bottles which I could buy in Singapore. Many of their more colourful and fanciful labels I realized later were displayed in Berlin’s Union Jack where you can also find examples of their joint collaboration with Spirit Shop Selection displaying with their Samurai or Chinese Theatre Masks and many other series.

Fast forward and I now live in Germany, home to Sansibar… however I’ve yet to buy a bottle in Europe! Instead I came home to Mumbai to pull out from the whisky cabinet this delightful dram from a much earlier Singapore to India trip.

We began by giving our gents a chance to taste the freshly opened bottle…

Glentauchers 8 year 48.2% (Sansibar)

  • Nose – Mmm…. lemony, candied orange peel, vanilla sponge cake dusted with sugar, marmalade, lots of candied fruit, milk bread and sugar… the more it opened up, the fruitier it became, also revealing sweet spices to join caramel apples… delicious!!
  • Palate – 1st sip was a bit sharp and chilli spicy, then sour lemon drops that melt into honey sweetness, then shifted into wonderful fruits, cinnamon spice, followed by a yummy toffee coffee twist
  • Finish – Long tasty finish

A classic highland whisky. Completely worth the wait! As we sipped, the more we enjoyed… like basking in the sun in a warm summer’s day. An absolutely delightful dram.

As for the ladies turn? Just a scant couple days later…

Glentauchers 8 year 48.2% (Sansibar)

  • Nose – Wow! All sorts of sweets. Honey and buttery caramel, brioche, nutty, cereals, mmmm…. delicious toffee
  • Palate – Sweet spices, substance, oily with a gorgeous mouthfeel, toffee… almost mocha… indulgent without being heavy
  • Finish – What a lovely long finish, apple and red cinnamon heart candies

We found it sophisticated and romantic, something comforting that simply puts you into a great mood.. one of those happy whiskies that invite you to just slow down, relax and enjoy the ride. Utterly charming

Our best comment of the evening? This whisky is like a much needed “socially distanced hug!”

Is it young? Certainly! However clearly a quality cask and a great way to kick off an evening of classic Scottish malts. This particular Glentauchers is from Sansibar’s Classic series with only 244 bottles from a single cask.

What do the folks at Sansibar have to say?

  • Colour – Amber
  • Nose – Mint, fresh sweetness, whole milk chocolate
  • Taste – Chocolate with chilli, toffee & coffee, aromatic wood influence
  • Exit – Soothing warmth with unobtrusive charm

When sold in Europe, it was available for EUR 69. However I picked this beauty up in Singapore for SG$197 from La Maison du Whisky at the 2017 Whisky Live – practically double the price! But completely worth it and so happy could finally share it with friends in India. We opened this bottle in Mumbai, September 2021.

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North Star’s Glentauchers 11 year (2007/2018) 58.9%

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From the Speyside region, we picked the gentler Glautachers as our first selection for our North Star Series 5 evening with our Whisky Ladies of Mumbai guest reviewer Nikoulina Berg. 

Photo: Team Table

Niko knows her stuff. Experienced in the F&B industry with a career that has spanned Germany, US, Spain, China, Singapore and now India, Niko has a certain flare for food and fine spirit and wines.

Currently based in Mumbai, Niko went from heading operations at The Table and Le Pain Quotidien, she went fully independent in 2018 to bring her expertise to advise existing and new hospitality companies on everything from guest experience, IT, operational excellence, entire concept creation to execution. More recently in December 2018, she launched ‘Sorrentina’, a classic Italian all-day dining restaurant and India’s largest gourmet grocer’s ‘Foodhall’ very first restaurant in Santacruz, Mumbai.

With the Whisky Ladies, Niko has shared Bavarian whisky (Slyrs), several Japanese whiskies (Akashi, Mars Iwai, Nikka Grain, Super Nikka) and from La Maison du Whisky That Boutique-y Whisky Company’s Glentaucher’s 20 year.

So what did she think of North Star’s 11 year Glentauchers by comparison?

Glentauchers 11 year (April 2007/May 2018) 58.9%

  • Color: light golden 
  • Nose: lots of fruit! then after a couple of minutes of letting it breathe notes of sherry, vanilla, smokey, a bit like s’mores, peaches, canned pear, minty fresh fumes
  • Palate: salty dark licorice, very strong, later coats your tongue with an oddly taste if boiled milk or maybe a version of dulce de leche
  • Finish: very salty, keeps burning on your tongue – medium finish. For some of the ladies a harsh burn. Later anise seed, liquorice, coating of sherry  
  • Water: very different characteristics with water – soil, vegetale, not the grassy type though, less burn. If don’t add water but rather have a sip of water in between – brings out a burnt caramel taste 
  • Overall: It’s an absolutely beautiful whisky and definitely one of my favourites from the series we tasted! 

I prefer it without water but it needs some time to unfold fully. 

After the Glentaucher’s 20 YO from ‘The Boutique-y’ I am starting to see a pattern with my notes and ratings of Glentauchers drams!

If you can get your hands on this – get it while you can! Highly recommended!

North Star Spirit’s shares it was matured in a refill bourbon hogshead, finished in a PX Sherry, un-chill filtered, natural colour… and have this to say:

  • Nose: My gran’s syrup sponge pudding
  • Palate: Thick cream, condensed milk just before the tablet sets
  • Finish: Touch of aniseed with a delicate sherry coating

For those curious about cost, this whisky was purchased online in July 2018 from Master of Malt for £53.76 / USD 70 / INR 5,080 and was opened in November 2018.

Don’t miss the other Whisky Ladies guest reviews of North Star Series 005 whiskies covering 5 Scottish regions:

Original Group’s North Star Discovery:

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That Boutique-y Whisky Company Glentauchers 20 year for LMdW

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That Boutique-y Whisky Company has crafted trade-mark labels and fine contents. One of our Mumbai Whisky Ladies picked this particularly bottle up some time ago and we’ve been patiently waiting for th right opportunity.

On the label you can see Thierry Bénitah (La Maison du Whisky CEO and son of its founder, Georges Bénitah) in the 1980s, surrounded by classic whisky bottlings and wearing a particularly snappy turtleneck…

Glentauchers 20 year (Boutique-y Whisky Company) Batch 4, 46.9% bottled for La Maison du Whisky with 327 bottles

  • Nose – Hazelnut cream, wood, almond, also some ripe fruits, maple syrup, oodles and oodles of butterscotch, a bit of menthol, green almond
  • Palate – A real tingle and oomph! A bit bitter, some sweet spice, caramel fudge and nougut, with a bit of tart sour sauce, berries
  • Finish – Spice like white pepper

Some loved this one. Others found the blend so approachable that following with this single malt was a bit of a jolt.

As this whisky came out some time ago, you won’t find it on the “That Boutique-Y Whisky Company” website, however can track down some tasting notes at The Master of Malt:

  • Nose: Fresh and floral with hints of violet and honey. Stewed berries with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Butterscotch.
  • Palate: Roasted chestnuts and black pepper. Apricot jam, quince and a whisper of cinnamon.
  • Finish: Sodabread with salted butter, floral malt once again, cumin and dried raspberries.

Our core focus was a trio with a wee ‘appetizer’ blend:

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The Appetizer – Ballantine’s 17 year Glentauchers 40%

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When one of our Whisky Ladies mentioned she would be bringing a special 20 year old Glentauchers bottled by that Boutique-y Whisky Company for La Maison du Whisky, I suddenly remembered I had an old small bottle of a series presented by Ballentine’s to show off the respective character of key elements in their blend.

So pulled it out, dusted it off and hoped it wouldn’t be completely oxidized and terrible… we were in luck! It had stood the test of Mumbai storage conditions rather well!

Ballantine’s Glentauchers

Ballantine’s 17 year Glentauchers 40%

  • Nose – Fruity, nutty, lemon, butterscotch, ice cream
  • Palate – Lemon cherry, very smooth, buttery, light and balanced, a bit of chilli, slightly bitter
  • Finish – Bitter burnt caramel

Overall this whisky was pronounced “Yum!” Simply an exceedingly easy “appetizer” of a whisky. Far from being a disaster, it was actually quite delicious. Clearly this blend had stood the test of time.

What followed was a trio of single malts:

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Whisky Ladies Contributor’s Choice – Glentauchers, Balvenie, Talisker

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When doing whisky tastings, themes are great but sometimes going a bit random is even better! And that’s exactly what we did this month with the Whisky Ladies…. we invited contributions and then discovered what they brought!

What did we explore in our Ladies Choice evening?

Our core focus was a trio with a wee ‘appetizer’ blend thrown in at the last minute:

Curious to know more? Just click on the whisky links to read what we thought!

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Sansibar’s Glentauchers, Spicely Sweet + Smokey Peated

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At Whisky Live Singapore 2017, the Sansibar booth was manned by a local bartender who was so passionate about what the folks at Sansibar are doing, it was positively infectious.

Thanks to La Maison du Whisky, I’d already encountered the Islay Malt 8 year and brought it back for a special undisclosed distilleries evening.

Now, as it was at Whisky Live, it means my impressions were fleeting… however enough to cement an opinion that Sansibar is worth continuing to keep an eye on!

Glentauchers 8 year 48.2%

  • Nose – Soft, sweet, lightly elegant
  • Palate – Not just sweetness and light, a bit bitter, toffee, butterscotch raisin
  • Finish – Bitter nuts

Overall this is a light desert in a bottle.

Spicily Sweet 48% – Blended Small Batch, Batch #1 “Sunset”

  • Nose – Very fruity, aaaah… yum!
  • Palate – Smooth, sweet, soft fruits, light spice
  • Finish – Here is where the spice peeps out even more

My initial thought was this is a summer dram – sun soaked fruits – with a name that perfectly personifies its name “spicily sweet”! It was so enjoyable that I thought folks back in Mumbai might enjoy it too. And sure enough, “Sunset” closed an evening exploring independent blends…

Smokey Peated 48% – Blended Small Batch, Batch #1 “Signal Fire”

  • Nose – Bacon, wood fire, fruit behind the smoke like pineapple and other tropical fruits
  • Palate – Holy toledo peat! Turbo charged peat yet not in the least harsh, more fruits
  • Finish – Captive ash. No messing with it peat. Bit of a pepper chaser

I thought of the Sansibar Islay Malt 8 year cask strength which brought an elegance to peat. By contrast the “Signal Fire” was unabashed peat.

Quite interesting to try this trio and I planned to return to continue sampling… however all the other whiskies I had hoped to try were polished off. Clearly others found the offerings also appealing.

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Glentauchers 18 years (1996/2014) 2 casks 46%

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I first flirted with Glentauchers as part of a set of 17 year old Ballantine‘s blends ‘featuring’ variations that focused on exploring the component distilleries. While an interesting experiment, nothing substitutes for experiencing a whisky in its single malt avatar.

Given nearly all Glentauchers goes into blends – primarily Ballantine’s and Teachers – this isn’t so easy to accomplish.

So I was particularly pleased to have a chance to try a Carn Mor bottle at The Single Cask.

Glentauchers 18 years (1996/2014) 2 casks 46% 443 bottles

  • Nose – Cereals with lightly toasted seeds, apple sauce, quite sweet with a hint of very faint jasmine
  • Palate – This is where more character reveals itself, almost reminded me of a lemon barley squash, gentle malt, sweet and fruity, with a hint of toasted nuts and something else elusive I couldn’t quite catch!
  • Finish – Retrained and gentile, quite lovely

Overall it is exceedingly easy to drink, smooth, approachable, entirely civilized though not terribly distinctive… In short quite ‘likeable’ and one for folks enjoy a lightly fruity whisky. Though restrained, the finish was truly quite enjoyable… nuanced yet very much present.

Here is what The Single Cask folks have to say about this Glentauchers (SG$198.80):

This is a sweet easy, fruity Speysider! 

  • Nose has sugar, sweets, overripe apples and maybe whiffs of flowers.
  • Taste is sweet and green apples, lemon drops, sweet barley, tinned pineapples, maple syrup.
  • Finish is nice, with a little more caramel

Reading their description after sampling the whisky, I would overall quite agree!

Related posts:

This whisky was sampled as part of a whisky flight at The Single Cask together with:

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A lighter touch… Whisky Flight at The Single Cask

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Often when one thinks whisky, what jumps to mind are the sherry bombs, the power packed peat monsters, the salty brine maritime malt, or even a bourbon banana sweet… yet nestled amongst those bold, sometimes brash characters are a subtler lot…

One tends to associate a lighter, slightly sweeter touch with whiskies from the Highlands or  Lowlands… though not necessarily so…

On my 2nd stop to The Single Cask, we picked the featured whisky flight with:

Some of these whiskies are found primarily blends – such as Deanston in Burn Stewart’s blends, the Glentauchers or Miltonduff in Ballantines. Whereas Glen Moray, a neighbour of Glentauchers and Miltonduff, is known for affordable single malts.

What did my sampling companion and I think? Click on the whisky links above and find out!

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Ballantine’s 17 year Glentauchers 40%

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Last in our Ballantine’s Signature Distillery Collection was Glentauchers.

While there is apparently an official bottling kicking around, it certainly isn’t one our merry malters have stumbled across… not even readily listed online at either Master of Malt or The Whisky Exchange.

More typically, Glentauchers is found in Ballantine’s and Teacher’s – both widely consumed blends. As in 99% of it goes to blends! So you can appreciate my interest in exploring a sense of its character through Ballantine’s eyes (or taste buds / nose as the case may be!).

Ballantine's Glentauchers

Ballantine’s Glentauchers

Ballantine’s Glentauchers 17 year 40%

  • Nose – Strong nose, piney notes, earthy like a forest, toasted hazelnuts, a nougaty sweetness… as it continued to air after 15-20 minutes it was like reaching out to dip your hand straight into a honey-comb with the bees still buzzing!
  • Taste – Slightly bitter, hint of spice, much lighter body than the nose, smooth
  • Finish – Bitter almonds, like the Glenburgie, an unremarkable finish yet a far easier dram
  • Overall – The nose showed promise which alas didn’t carry through on the palate… however at least the nutty quality continued throughout in a rather pleasant way. Overall, quite a drinkable dram.

The preferred setting for this whisky? Could drink by the fire, in a more social manner with the caveat that it goes down so smoothly that you may not even realise that you’d finished it and reached out for more!

Overall, I must say, it was interesting to have a blend pay homage to the characters of its single malt components. We each did our ‘preference’ line-up… for my friend it was:

  • Miltonduff by a mile, then Glentauchers, Scapa and Glenburgie

For me, it was along the same lines, except I would swap the ‘last’ two with Glenburgie just a smudge ahead of the Scapa.

But the very fact that the Miltonduff even made both of us pay attention was saying something.

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