Virus_Of_Life Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Happy New Year. Again. Seems to happen every 12, 365 or so.This month's Foreign Whisky of the Month is Glen Garioch. A little obscure possibly, but one that has some great history behind it. I believe it was recently renovated, or at least had their offerings revamped, so I am anxious to hear what people have to say. Oh, and especially curious to hear if anyone has some of the early 70's peated stuff?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnDew Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 The list I put up was sourced, in part, by looking at my local stores and knowing what they had in stock, then had to go and pick a distillery that they don't carry! Thankfully, due to some help from a fellow SBer, I happen to have a bottle of Glen Garioch on hand and will be pouring myself a dram tonight. Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virus_Of_Life Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 The list I put up was sourced, in part, by looking at my local stores and knowing what they had in stock, then had to go and pick a distillery that they don't carry! Thankfully, due to some help from a fellow SBer, I happen to have a bottle of Glen Garioch on hand and will be pouring myself a dram tonight. Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChainWhip Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 How to pronounce Glen Garioch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnDew Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I'm sipping on the 12 year and so far I like it. First off it's nice that it's unfiltered and bottled at 48%, makes me think more highly of them right of the bat. As for the taste itself, I get banana, vanilla, maybe burnt coconut, and something sweet that I can't put my finger on. Almost like a wafer of some kind... All in all I'm pleased with this, I'm going to have to look into more offerings from this distillery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virus_Of_Life Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 How to pronounce Glen Garioch: I prefer the way he says Caol Ila. Makes me tingle a little. And, want to make it the FWoTM about every third month! Oh, so does the fact that I love me some Caol Ila. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wryguy Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 The Glen Garioch 1994 17 year old might be my favorite malt that I've tried this year. Layered sweetness, reserved barrel influence, superb balance and just delicious fruitiness on the finish, it is really a step up from their more standard fare. Highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronWF Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 The Glen Garioch 1994 17 year old might be my favorite malt that I've tried this year. Layered sweetness, reserved barrel influence, superb balance and just delicious fruitiness on the finish, it is really a step up from their more standard fare. Highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I'm sipping on the 12 year and so far I like it. First off it's nice that it's unfiltered and bottled at 48%, makes me think more highly of them right of the bat. As for the taste itself, I get banana, vanilla, maybe burnt coconut, and something sweet that I can't put my finger on. Almost like a wafer of some kind... All in all I'm pleased with this, I'm going to have to look into more offerings from this distillery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weller_tex Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 If you want to taste Glen Garioch without spending a lot of money (I will likely be killed for this post)..try McClelland's Highlands for about $30. It is Glen Garioch at a youngish age and not bad at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolph Lundgren Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I'm not a big fan of Glen "Geery". I tasted an older bottle at Whiskeyfest (the 17 I think) and it was alright. I also bought a bottle of the Founder's Reserve blindly and was disappointed - it sat on my counter for over a year until I took it to a party at a friends house an left it. I think there are better Highland malts out there, especially for the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I'm not a big fan of Glen "Geery". I tasted an older bottle at Whiskeyfest (the 17 I think) and it was alright. I also bought a bottle of the Founder's Reserve blindly and was disappointed - it sat on my counter for over a year until I took it to a party at a friends house an left it. I think there are better Highland malts out there, especially for the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 This one reminds me of an ex-girlfriend who could be either a lot of fun or not.I was introduced to Glen Garioch through one of the peated expressions made back in the 70s. I can't say the experience was pleasant. I presented it at a tasting and over the evening the guys around the table created a joke by pouring a drink from one of the other bottles then sliding the Garioch over to the next in line. The bottle kept getting passed around the table without anyone pouring it again after the first taste. It wasn't bad or anything, the problem was one of balance. The peat was harsh and a dominate influence, sort of like too much cayenne in a dish from someone just learning to cook cajun style. It was plainly discordant and badly out of tune.My next introduction was an 8 yr expression I picked up on sale while traveling because it was cheap. Surprisingly good if a bit simple, light, floral, fairly complex and sorta fun. Something like the current Lismore for example.Some years later I came across a 12 yr old and remembering the 8 picked it up for one of my tastings. Even better than the 8, richer, fuller, more complex and rich, turned out to be a big hit, so much that the tasters in that group started actively looking for Garioch when traveling in states where it may be available.When McClelland came out with their single malt series word was the Highland expression was 9 year old Garioch so I got a bottle. Very good stuff, an excellent example of the dry, floral Highland style. Heather, hay, the only Malt I've tasted where I swear I could find lavender and violets. And it was bargain priced (my Scottish forebears would be proud).Never got a chance to try the 10, 15 or older ones but McClelland's Highland Selection was and still is available locally. Problem is they have been reducing the age from 9 to 7 then to 5 I'm told, I just know the last bottle I bought (at least five years ago) was diminished in statue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChainWhip Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Sipping on the Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve while researching 50yrs of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition on NBC. It's better than expected really - nothing screams out at you but it's a good solid fruity malt... It could be I'm distracted by my TV screen though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 Sipping on the Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve while researching 50yrs of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition on NBC. It's better than expected really - nothing screams out at you but it's a good solid fruity malt... It could be I'm distracted by my TV screen though.I'm sorry to have missed that evening. Sounds like a treat for the senses in all respects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChainWhip Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 I'm sorry to have missed that evening. Sounds like a treat for the senses in all respects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VT Mike Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 Glen Garioch has an interesting history. It was one of the few Highland distilleries that still had a decent peat level by the 1960's. It closed in 1968 when the water source dried up. Morrision Bowmore bought the distillery in 1970 and secured a new water source. They finally reopened in 1973. At that time a new maltster was brought in. He trained on Islay and actually raised the peat levels. Over the next two decades the peat levels gradually decreased. I've read that there was some significant variation from batch to batch at times, but it sounds like there were significant drops in the peat level in 1975 and 1985. The distillery closed again in mid 1995. When it reopened in mid 1997, they did away with the traditional floor maltings and started buying unpeated malt.I've had the 1994 17 year and really liked it. I think the mild peat adds a nice balance to the floral element. I've also had an 8 yr, it was an older bottle, but I think it was distilled after they switched to unpeated malt. It was okay; inexpensive but nothing special.I'd really like to try the more heavily peated 1978 vintage bottling, as well as the 1990 vintage bottling which has some Sherry cask whisky in the mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Black Tot Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 I tried the Founder's Reserve two weeks ago, and didn't like it very much at all. To the point where it's going to be a chore getting through it.Flat and oily, would be how I'd describe the taste.I haven't concluded that other Glen Gariochs won't be excellent, but the FR isn't my bag at all.tbt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Has anyone tried the Exclusive Casks (Seems to be a Total Wine offering) Glen Garioch 19 or 23? I'm not overly interested in the newer stuff, but peated highland malts generally fall into my "happy dance" territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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