Very underrated malt. I get a creme brule note in the smell as well and i just love it. It was one of those malts that i had to buy a second bottle of for a later use :)
A friend in Indiana (U.S.A) introduced me to Glen Garioch 1797 Founders Reserve not long ago and I fell in love with it. On my return to rural northern Georgia, I started hounding my local store to find me a bottle. After a month or so of persistence, they managed to get me a bottle of the 1797 Founders Reserve AND a bottle of the 12 year old. They are different, but with a family resemblance, and they make a nice addition to my shelf, sitting alongside bottles of Macallan 15 and Macallan 18. Your presentations are wonderfully informative and engaging, and I appreciate the effort and care you take in passing along such great observations.
After having only the older 8 Year Old and the younger sibling to the 12 called Founders Reserve, I can extrapolate and imagine how good this one must be. For whatever reason this is another malt not imported to Korea. Your review will have reduced global supply even futher!! Cheers Ralfy, Mark in Seoul
Ralfy i love this distillery, and the 12 year old is just beautiful, nose is artfully characterful , unlike the big sherry influenced highlanders. We had the pleasure of visiting the distillery just last month, (at your suggestion i will add), it has made me even bigger Glen Garrioch fan. for my money this is a big winner!! Thanks for your thoughtful reviews, you keep getting better!!
I just love Glen Garioch 12 - so pleased you agree with my tastings. I am never without it in my small collection - definitely my favourite 12 year old.
Ralfy is pronouncing it correctly. From a search; ‘Glen Geery’ Many an untrained tongue would be tempted to emphasise the “a” and “och”, perhaps even coverting to “ock”, in this Scotch whisky name, however it is actually pronounced “Glen Geery”. The East Highland distillery, owned by Morrison Bowmore, was founded in 1797, making it one of the oldest Scotch whisky distilleries still in operation. It is named after the Valley of the Garioch, traditionally thought of as one of the finest barley growing area of Scotland.
Ralfy, this is one of my favorite malts. Thanks for reviewing in in the past and introducing me to it. I think I'm going to get another bottle based on how much I liked it the last four times... Thank you for refreshing my memory on how good this whisky is!
It is definitely a repeat purchase for me as well. I find that it tastes better after it's been open for a couple of weeks. The flavour becomes more well rounded. After I bought my last bottle, I was distraught as I though I had hit a bad batch. I did not, it just needed a bit of time.
Glen Garioch is becoming a favorite distillery. The Renaissance 15/16 cask strengths are fantastic. The 1999 Sherry cask CS is a favorite. I have not opened my 1998 Wine Cask but look forward to it.
Finally got around to this malt. I kicked back and had a quiet evening carefully examining this malt along with listening to your vlog. In short; you nailed it! And I experienced a fine malt moment. Thanks
Thank You !! I like to watch your videos. You are sympathetic, humorous, knowing and can explain it well. Glen Garioch 24 years was my first sample of a single malt. A kind scotch whisky merchant in Germany recommended this one to me; i ought to consider to taste a high quality but not too special single malt to get interested in single malts. As you described this 12 year old, Ralfy, the 24 year old also tasted round and balanced, malty and sweet. My interest was aroused, a malt without corners and edges. Today, I like to taste this 12 year old of my entry single malt. Thanks a lot for your review - unfortunately, it is underrated and rarely reviewed.
i bought a bottle in august and was impressed .i bought this and ancnoc 12 which is natural color and non chill filtered at 43%abv here in the usa. together i paid 80 $ us. i would say they were both very good value and quality.
Thanks for this great review and especially for the explanation on the 90/100. I fully agree with those comments. I have not had this particular GlenGarioch but I agree that their products are a bit overlooked, especially here on the Continent. Thanks again for another entertaining review. As always, I look forward to the next one
Ralfy, I found this bottle in Beaverton, OR in 2022. A fellow mat afficionado had recommended a new liquor store near my work, and a found a bottle of this Glen Garioch 12 there. I was quite happy with the selection and the prices; better by far than the $100 store across the Columbia River in Vancouver. They had the Arran and the Glen Allachie, but I had been looking for this malt for a decade or more, so I bought this one. I had tasted it once and loved it, but I could never find it in the stores. I hadn't seen this review before finding the malt, but I am delighted to hear your esteem for it. It's the first bottle I've purchased in more than a year, and I can't wait to share it with friends.
Couldn't agree more, I bought the Glen Garioch 12 year old twice already. I also purchased the Renaissance 17 and 18yo - I absolutely miss your reviews on those two! Great malts - and still affordable.
Thanks Ralfy! Just bought a bottle and loving it. I've always been a peat head and was looking to branch out - this hit the spot! Also much cheaper than the Islay malts Ive been buying. Cheers
Too funny... I just came home from the liquor store here in Whistler, BC Canada with this bottle in hand... and lo and behold! A Ralfy review! Perfect timing... can’t wait to crack the cork!
When I lived in Japan a couple of years ago, Don Quijote sold this for ¥2700 (about $25). Needless to say, it was a daily drinker. One of my favorite and one of the most underrated of all single malts - delicious and beautifully balanced.
I get hints of apple in this dram. Best whisky for the dollar. $60 Canadian. That's cheap for around here. The Glen Garioch Virgin Oak is amazing too if you can find it.
I love the 12 yr and the Founders Reserve. Both are excellent and good value for money. Pair these two with some nutty cheese and you won't be disappointed!!
ralfydotcom Really really interested in your knowledge and opinion on malt notes moment. Bought 4 bottles at $38 CAD. each. !! Love non chilled filter !. And sherry cask !. Thank you so much for reviewing this malt. Double Ns. and at %48 ABV. Scotch sipping lady.
definitely opens up with some water. bought this off the back of this review whilst looking to expand my horizons a little and I'm certainly not disappointed.
Glen Garioch 12 is one of my favorites. A wonderful whisky at a great price point here in NYC. I totally agree, Ralfy. I stumbled upon it and I'm truly glad I did.
This is one of the few bottles i'll rebuy as im a very curious whisky shopper. I was curious to compare our nosing and tasting notes when I saw this had been uploaded and surprisingly was practically identical (I usually don't pick out everything ralfy does or in as much detail) This is the best value scotch I've personally discovered thus far hands down.
Delicious! honeyed flap jacks, marmite, cereal, toffee and fruits, barley flour, pears, lime juice and haystacks, slight nutmeg, and english TEA, as ralfy so discerningly discovered....great as always, thanks for the review! Ralfy is right, theres also something like an apple orchard on a rainy day, like glen grant exhibits, but this is a so much deeper, richer, and more syrupy dram than the standard 10yr GG -- yet there's that great, hearty spice on the back end of the development. I would only add a slightly old pultney-esque orange peel and very slight briny-ness on the finish of this dram. Superb stuff! Thanks for the content and please keep it up!
Amazingly this is one of the few whiskies that has NOT increased in price the last ~5years. The price held up, but have the contents? Time to go to the store, I think.
I’ve bought two bottles in the last six months. One was *very* impressive and had amazingly good sherry cask involvement. The other was still very good, but the bourbon casks seemed more bold. So if you buy a bottle and it’s good but not great, don’t be scared to buy another bottle on a few months.
Absolutely 💯 luv my NAS bottling, sherry and Bourbon 📝 notes, sweet-- sour and nutty-- however, can't find btls. anywhere in East TN! Yikes 🤔🙄😬🥃cheers 🍻 malt mates!
I bought a bottle and was surprised how much different it tasted from the time of the first crack of the bottle to after it had been opened and sat for a while with some air in it. To me this softened the whisky a tad and brought out more flavors and the alcohol flavors toned down, and not so overwhelming when I first opened the bottle. Its not my favorite, but now that I have finished it, it is on my "replace soon" list. I agree that this whisky is not your typical highland whisky and does have lots of character.
Their virgin oak is one of the few nas drams i would recommend, a unique experience. Shouldn't work (has quite a fake tan) but at higher strength its a fruit bomb
This particular whisky is one of my favorites. Especially considering the price! I first bought it some years ago and since it's had its own place in my collection. It brings me great joy to hear your view and how well I recognize my own experience in your words. Once again, this is a great whisky and hopefully it will get the attention it deserves. Also, I would highly recommend this whisky to anyone. Sláinte!
Reminds me of the 15 year old Sherry Cask Matured, which is also unbelievably rich, sweet and condensed. I think I‘ll get my hands on this one too. Glen Garioch is producing some very decent malts nowadays.
Hi! I have bought this whisky twice and I really enjoy it for the craft presentation. It is also available in 1 liter bottle. I am curious about your opinion about 1 liter duty free bottles. I have bought Laphroaig 10YO in 70 cl, 35 cl and 1 liter. I think that the 35 cl bottle had the deepest/riches flavour of them all, and the liter bottle was the weakest of them. Do you believe that producers uses better casks to their small bottles to enhance sales? Making the customers believe "I try this single malt in a small bottle, and if it's good I buy it in a bigger bottle next time". It would be interesting to hear your discussion about this in an upcoming vlog.
Big fan of this bottling. Also have a 15 year old sherry cask that was a duty free exclusive. Even better. Loving what GG are producing after the distillery reopening.
Love my Glen Gariochs, also older IB versions (20-25yo), and the 15 sherry is great, too btw: dirty in a good way. The GG12 is still kind of a neglected malt, but I suppose that's good + let's them keep the age + 48% abv. (and for penny-pinchers they got the Founder's Reserve ;-) ) Need to do a h2d of GG12 with Kilkerran 12 some day to see where they share similarities and where they're different.
Drinking Kilkerran 12 just now Hogi and really like it. If the Glen Garioch 12 is fairly similar in character, I think I'll like it. Another one to add to the list then! :D
I don't add as much water as you do (just 4 drops) but I agree it's a traditional Scotch profile without any newfangled finishes. I miss the old 15 but this will do. I scored this at 86 the first time I tried it 6 years ago, bought a new bottle yesterday and bumped it up to 90, the same score as you before I watched this review.
In keeping with my "Ralfy 90+ = buy" thing I'm doing recently, I picked up a bottle of this today (it is available in the San Francisco Bay Area). Just had my first sip; great stuff! Weirdly, the cork backed out of the bottle neck upon opening; it actually pushed its way out and fell off onto the table as I was sniffing it. I've never seen that happen before. After about 30 minutes it stopped. Anyway, great stuff, but watch that cork!
Nectar D'Or is 12 years old - it's right on the label :) I wonder if that's what keeps Ralfy from reviewing it. It is in the same core range as Lasanta and Quinta Ruban - all start with the "Original" 10 year old and get 2 extra years in the respective casks. I'm guessing Sauternes casks are just more limited, so the price is higher. It's been on sale recently - $45 in California. I think I'll even edit my original comment, I thought it was obvious! :)
It's a hidden gem whiskey, it is an amazing whiskey shortly, full of everything... I bought 6 liter of.. It's the real whiskey to how the single malt should test like...
Mine arrived yesterday. Gave it a try... still trying to wrap my head around it... it sure is complex, I'm just not sure yet if I'm into all the tasting notes. I smell a lot of sherry and some honey... but when I taste it the sherry isn't as powerful... maybe Im getting more of the bourbon influence which may be throwing me off. I started drinking Scotch earlier this year and going through a bit of a booty camp to be honest... and this wouldn't be the first bottle I struggle to enjoy at first only to really embrace it later. We'll see how this one goes. Too bad Summer is just starting here in Brazil and this dram would probably be more suited for some chilly winter nights.
Tried it again and managed to identify (ish) the tasting note that was throwing me off a bit... not sure how to describe it, but I get the same note on the Talisker 10... I may be so off here, but it's like a medicinal taste that's so present on the talisker (or maybe just some bitterness, but when I taste it I think "medicinal" although I'm not sure if that's how it should be described. It's probably just a very subtle hint of peat like we get on the Talisker, just less), I get it mostly on the finish. Just being able to find this correlation is satisfying, but truth be told I am more inclined to like (so far) drams like Bunna 12, GlenDronach 12 or even GlenAllachie 12. It's all part of the journey and I know my preferences will change with time. I don't regret getting it one bit, I intend to go through this bottle very slowly and decipher it as I go. Slàinte Mhath.
Just bought this today, I'm still a beginner as far as single malts go, but I like it a lot and reminds me of Oban 14 which I tried only a few weeks ago but without the smoke.
Glen Garioch has a delicious NAS single malt under the McClelland brand. Your flavor notes describe this newer malt VERY ACCURATELY----- Twas my 2nd or 3rd ever single malt taste experience a few years back. Enjoying a dram of this scotch right now---and can only imagine how good the 12 yr you've got going on there is with this younger version being so damn good... Gonna have to perhaps get a bottle of the 12 sometime........ I have to admit------Your tasting notes are so fucking creepy accurate in describing this NAS malt I am sipping on right now----the distillery character is just UNMISTAKABLE in how you so eloquently describe your notes...... Just wow---I REALLY ANTICIPATE TRYING THE 12 YEAR!!.......MALTO-WOWZA malt moment here..... :) GREAT REVIEW AS ALWAYS RALFY.... SLAINTE!
Thanks for your review, passionate as always. I've been a long time fan of the Glen Garrioch Founders Reserve. I will be getting the 12yo on my next order, along with a nice peater ;-) Slainte!
Interesting that I had this in Glasgow and really enjoyed it. I bought a bottle in the states and it's okay, but not as good as I remember. Can heat or some other factor ruin a whisky in transportation? I'm going to try this again when I come over in October to Scotland. It will be interesting to see if I return to really liking it.
Based on your review, I asked Santa to kindly bring me one of these. He did and to my surprise on the box I found in tiny letters that it contains caramel for reasons of consistent appearance. This statement does not appear on the bottle. I guess the Swiss importer got his lot from Germany, where such statements are required by law. I guess, I will not taste the difference, but I like my drams un chill-filtered and without E150a, especially at this strength. I like a natural product and that is the reason, why I usually go for single cask and cask strength. The mouth feel, taste and nose are a totally different experience than the ones that are chill-filtered and diluted down to 43 or 40 %
Ah yes, good to see this review, and the high score. Bought a 1 litre bottle of this from an airplane recently - for under 30€! One of the best bargains ever! Now I'm really looking forward to opening the bottle as well.
Ralfy, it's a lovely small distillery not far from me. The bloody hilarious thing is, my wife worked at a drug and alcohol rehab clinic smack bang next door. The wonderful smells would flow over the clinic. can't think what the thirsty inmates thought.
One for Christmas but i want to buy something around 18 years old up as a treat so much out there. fav at the moment lagavulin 16 and Glenfarclas 15 any ideas wud help peeps.Good review as always sir.
Great review Ralf, btw what are your thoughts on the new ‘minimum’ alcohol tax in Scotland (I know you live in the Isle of Man, but I’m still curious)?
I have an OMC bottle at 15yrs old, hope the 12 is close to the same (Ralfy makes it sound better) have heaps of Whiskys, but the Glen Garioch does something different then the rest, something floral and slightly sour....really nice, very goldylocks...not too much, not too little...just right
Hmm You added not just one but TWO teaspoons of water.... Personally I drink it neat. The lady at the distillery also said that She would add no water at all "But the way you drink it at home is all up to you!", kinda saying you shouldnt add water. SInce it tastes so good without any water, I havent tried adding any... Maybe I should, but just one teaspoon!
I found this very pleasant tastewise , but on the nose it was strangely constricted which didn't improve significantly as the bottle went down. Anybody else who noticed that?
nice rewiew as always. enoy theese after a work day help me calm down. would be fun if you would do some international whiskeys again :) greetings from the forests of sweden
BTW. Speaking of fake online sales, here's one for you: an online seller is selling a $4,850 bottle of Macallan, 30-year old, double cask whisky for ...... $95.
" resinous "🤔--are we talking oily? Ralfy? If so, I'm going to try it as my nxt. Dram-- sounds right up my alley ❤🥃🥂
I couldn't agree more, this is an underrated malt and one of my favorites. Cheers!
Very underrated malt. I get a creme brule note in the smell as well and i just love it. It was one of those malts that i had to buy a second bottle of for a later use :)
Finally, Glen Garioch 12; personally a big fan of this one.
. . . sorry about the lighting fluctuations, I will use another camera for the next reviews.
Microphone a little on the quiet side too.
Cheers
A friend in Indiana (U.S.A) introduced me to Glen Garioch 1797 Founders Reserve not long ago and I fell in love with it. On my return to rural northern Georgia, I started hounding my local store to find me a bottle.
After a month or so of persistence, they managed to get me a bottle of the 1797 Founders Reserve AND a bottle of the 12 year old.
They are different, but with a family resemblance, and they make a nice addition to my shelf, sitting alongside bottles of Macallan 15 and Macallan 18.
Your presentations are wonderfully informative and engaging, and I appreciate the effort and care you take in passing along such great observations.
After having only the older 8 Year Old and the younger sibling to the 12 called Founders Reserve, I can extrapolate and imagine how good this one must be. For whatever reason this is another malt not imported to Korea. Your review will have reduced global supply even futher!! Cheers Ralfy,
Mark in Seoul
Ralfy i love this distillery, and the 12 year old is just beautiful, nose is artfully characterful , unlike the big sherry influenced highlanders. We had the pleasure of visiting the distillery just last month, (at your suggestion i will add), it has made me even bigger Glen Garrioch fan. for my money this is a big winner!!
Thanks for your thoughtful reviews, you keep getting better!!
Ralfy your channel has grown so much. Nearly on 100 000 subscribers
I just love Glen Garioch 12 - so pleased you agree with my tastings. I am never without it in my small collection - definitely my favourite 12 year old.
Ralfy is pronouncing it correctly. From a search; ‘Glen Geery’
Many an untrained tongue would be tempted to emphasise the “a” and “och”, perhaps even coverting to “ock”, in this Scotch whisky name, however it is actually pronounced “Glen Geery”. The East Highland distillery, owned by Morrison Bowmore, was founded in 1797, making it one of the oldest Scotch whisky distilleries still in operation. It is named after the Valley of the Garioch, traditionally thought of as one of the finest barley growing area of Scotland.
Ralfy, this is one of my favorite malts. Thanks for reviewing in in the past and introducing me to it. I think I'm going to get another bottle based on how much I liked it the last four times... Thank you for refreshing my memory on how good this whisky is!
It is definitely a repeat purchase for me as well. I find that it tastes better after it's been open for a couple of weeks. The flavour becomes more well rounded. After I bought my last bottle, I was distraught as I though I had hit a bad batch. I did not, it just needed a bit of time.
Glen Garioch is becoming a favorite distillery. The Renaissance 15/16 cask strengths are fantastic. The 1999 Sherry cask CS is a favorite. I have not opened my 1998 Wine Cask but look forward to it.
Finally got around to this malt. I kicked back and had a quiet evening carefully examining this malt along with listening to your vlog. In short; you nailed it! And I experienced a fine malt moment. Thanks
YES FINALLY! Been waiting for a review of this one by You for ages! Currently on my 2nd bottle! Gonna watch the video tomorrow...
Same, I always have an open bottle of this stuff! Great deal to be had here in California with it.
@@DonFan1 Where are you finding a good deal on this in California? Have you tried the 8 year old?
Thank You !! I like to watch your videos. You are sympathetic, humorous, knowing and can explain it well.
Glen Garioch 24 years was my first sample of a single malt. A kind scotch whisky merchant in Germany recommended this one to me; i ought to consider to taste a high quality but not too special single malt to get interested in single malts. As you described this 12 year old, Ralfy, the 24 year old also tasted round and balanced, malty and sweet. My interest was aroused, a malt without corners and edges.
Today, I like to taste this 12 year old of my entry single malt. Thanks a lot for your review - unfortunately, it is underrated and rarely reviewed.
Best value up here in Canada. Under $60. Really smooth and Easy going down. Can’t lose
i bought a bottle in august and was impressed .i bought this and ancnoc 12 which is natural color and non chill filtered at 43%abv here in the usa. together i paid 80 $ us. i would say they were both very good value and quality.
ancnoc 12 is one of my favorites, i wish he'd abandon recommending highland park and go for ancnoc instead, the people need to know!
Thanks for this great review and especially for the explanation on the 90/100. I fully agree with those comments. I have not had this particular GlenGarioch but I agree that their products are a bit overlooked, especially here on the Continent. Thanks again for another entertaining review. As always, I look forward to the next one
Ralfy, I found this bottle in Beaverton, OR in 2022. A fellow mat afficionado had recommended a new liquor store near my work, and a found a bottle of this Glen Garioch 12 there. I was quite happy with the selection and the prices; better by far than the $100 store across the Columbia River in Vancouver. They had the Arran and the Glen Allachie, but I had been looking for this malt for a decade or more, so I bought this one. I had tasted it once and loved it, but I could never find it in the stores. I hadn't seen this review before finding the malt, but I am delighted to hear your esteem for it. It's the first bottle I've purchased in more than a year, and I can't wait to share it with friends.
Couldn't agree more, I bought the Glen Garioch 12 year old twice already. I also purchased the Renaissance 17 and 18yo - I absolutely miss your reviews on those two! Great malts - and still affordable.
Thanks Ralfy! Just bought a bottle and loving it. I've always been a peat head and was looking to branch out - this hit the spot! Also much cheaper than the Islay malts Ive been buying. Cheers
Too funny... I just came home from the liquor store here in Whistler, BC Canada with this bottle in hand... and lo and behold! A Ralfy review! Perfect timing... can’t wait to crack the cork!
When I lived in Japan a couple of years ago, Don Quijote sold this for ¥2700 (about $25). Needless to say, it was a daily drinker. One of my favorite and one of the most underrated of all single malts - delicious and beautifully balanced.
I get hints of apple in this dram. Best whisky for the dollar. $60 Canadian. That's cheap for around here. The Glen Garioch Virgin Oak is amazing too if you can find it.
This review got my mouth watering. Maybe I'll ask Saint Nick for a bottle of this. Should I?
I love the 12 yr and the Founders Reserve. Both are excellent and good value for money.
Pair these two with some nutty cheese and you won't be disappointed!!
Yes! The FR is the only expression I've had-- per Ralfy, I'm gonna have 2 pick-up 12 years ❤😂
ralfydotcom
Really really interested in your knowledge and opinion on malt notes moment.
Bought 4 bottles at $38 CAD. each. !! Love non chilled filter !. And sherry cask !.
Thank you so much for reviewing this malt. Double Ns. and at %48 ABV.
Scotch sipping lady.
definitely opens up with some water. bought this off the back of this review whilst looking to expand my horizons a little and I'm certainly not disappointed.
My favourite Highland 12YO, great review, thanks for sharing Ralfy.
I love Glen Garioch...have bought several bottles over the years and it is always a good dram at a great price point.
I always like your videos before i watch them, because i know it's gonna be quality content!
Glen Garioch 12 is one of my favorites. A wonderful whisky at a great price point here in NYC. I totally agree, Ralfy. I stumbled upon it and I'm truly glad I did.
This is one of the few bottles i'll rebuy as im a very curious whisky shopper. I was curious to compare our nosing and tasting notes when I saw this had been uploaded and surprisingly was practically identical (I usually don't pick out everything ralfy does or in as much detail)
This is the best value scotch I've personally discovered thus far hands down.
I’m so glad that in Canada that GLEN GARIOCH - 12 did not find popularity. It’s very affordable in Canada and one of my favourites it’s a hidden gem.
Delicious! honeyed flap jacks, marmite, cereal, toffee and fruits, barley flour, pears, lime juice and haystacks, slight nutmeg, and english TEA, as ralfy so discerningly discovered....great as always, thanks for the review! Ralfy is right, theres also something like an apple orchard on a rainy day, like glen grant exhibits, but this is a so much deeper, richer, and more syrupy dram than the standard 10yr GG -- yet there's that great, hearty spice on the back end of the development. I would only add a slightly old pultney-esque orange peel and very slight briny-ness on the finish of this dram. Superb stuff! Thanks for the content and please keep it up!
This whiskey is well priced for the quality . It's a gem.
I'm enjoying it now. I'm surprised. It's good :) This guy does a good job hosting. Thought he was a weirdo at first lol, but he's good.
Amazingly this is one of the few whiskies that has NOT increased in price the last ~5years. The price held up, but have the contents? Time to go to the store, I think.
I’ve bought two bottles in the last six months. One was *very* impressive and had amazingly good sherry cask involvement. The other was still very good, but the bourbon casks seemed more bold. So if you buy a bottle and it’s good but not great, don’t be scared to buy another bottle on a few months.
Absolutely 💯 luv my NAS bottling, sherry and Bourbon 📝 notes, sweet-- sour and nutty-- however, can't find btls. anywhere in East TN! Yikes 🤔🙄😬🥃cheers 🍻 malt mates!
its still good
I bought a bottle and was surprised how much different it tasted from the time of the first crack of the bottle to after it had been opened and sat for a while with some air in it. To me this softened the whisky a tad and brought out more flavors and the alcohol flavors toned down, and not so overwhelming when I first opened the bottle. Its not my favorite, but now that I have finished it, it is on my "replace soon" list. I agree that this whisky is not your typical highland whisky and does have lots of character.
Sounds delightful Ralfy! I've put it at the top of my list and hopefully I'll be able to track down a bottle. Take care, Ossie
Their virgin oak is one of the few nas drams i would recommend, a unique experience. Shouldn't work (has quite a fake tan) but at higher strength its a fruit bomb
This particular whisky is one of my favorites. Especially considering the price!
I first bought it some years ago and since it's had its own place in my collection.
It brings me great joy to hear your view and how well I recognize my own experience in your words.
Once again, this is a great whisky and hopefully it will get the attention it deserves.
Also, I would highly recommend this whisky to anyone.
Sláinte!
Reminds me of the 15 year old Sherry Cask Matured, which is also unbelievably rich, sweet and condensed. I think I‘ll get my hands on this one too. Glen Garioch is producing some very decent malts nowadays.
I bought this here in Spain for 29€. Nice whisky! Needs water.
Hi! I have bought this whisky twice and I really enjoy it for the craft presentation. It is also available in 1 liter bottle. I am curious about your opinion about 1 liter duty free bottles. I have bought Laphroaig 10YO in 70 cl, 35 cl and 1 liter. I think that the 35 cl bottle had the deepest/riches flavour of them all, and the liter bottle was the weakest of them. Do you believe that producers uses better casks to their small bottles to enhance sales? Making the customers believe "I try this single malt in a small bottle, and if it's good I buy it in a bigger bottle next time". It would be interesting to hear your discussion about this in an upcoming vlog.
This is the best single malt for the price here in Montreal(68 CAD$). I love it.
Thanks for putting together such a complete review, Ralfy!
Big fan of this bottling. Also have a 15 year old sherry cask that was a duty free exclusive. Even better. Loving what GG are producing after the distillery reopening.
Love my Glen Gariochs, also older IB versions (20-25yo), and the 15 sherry is great, too btw: dirty in a good way. The GG12 is still kind of a neglected malt, but I suppose that's good + let's them keep the age + 48% abv. (and for penny-pinchers they got the Founder's Reserve ;-) )
Need to do a h2d of GG12 with Kilkerran 12 some day to see where they share similarities and where they're different.
Drinking Kilkerran 12 just now Hogi and really like it. If the Glen Garioch 12 is fairly similar in character, I think I'll like it. Another one to add to the list then! :D
A few years since I've had this. Delicious stuff. Floral and Turkish Delight.
Amazing， this bottle is just that one which makes me fall in love with whiskey
I don't add as much water as you do (just 4 drops) but I agree it's a traditional Scotch profile without any newfangled finishes. I miss the old 15 but this will do. I scored this at 86 the first time I tried it 6 years ago, bought a new bottle yesterday and bumped it up to 90, the same score as you before I watched this review.
Bought a bottle, thought to myself this is bloody good whisky, I wonder what Ralfy thinks? He did not let me down!
In keeping with my "Ralfy 90+ = buy" thing I'm doing recently, I picked up a bottle of this today (it is available in the San Francisco Bay Area). Just had my first sip; great stuff! Weirdly, the cork backed out of the bottle neck upon opening; it actually pushed its way out and fell off onto the table as I was sniffing it. I've never seen that happen before. After about 30 minutes it stopped. Anyway, great stuff, but watch that cork!
Picking up one of this today😃 Loved the 15 y old. One of the best I ever had👌
Many thanks Ralfy! Been looking forward to seeing your take on this one. Cheers!
Speaking of dessert malts... Nectar D'Or is 12 YEARS OLD, 46%, non-chill filtered and natural color. And delicious 🍷
Alex K... Yes, yes, I'll second that! a lovely honeyed spirit
Nectar D'Or is 12 years old - it's right on the label :) I wonder if that's what keeps Ralfy from reviewing it. It is in the same core range as Lasanta and Quinta Ruban - all start with the "Original" 10 year old and get 2 extra years in the respective casks. I'm guessing Sauternes casks are just more limited, so the price is higher. It's been on sale recently - $45 in California. I think I'll even edit my original comment, I thought it was obvious! :)
visited the distillery this year and I can confirm they do add caramel. Great tour anyway
Hello my Malty Magnificent Bastards...
It's a hidden gem whiskey, it is an amazing whiskey shortly, full of everything...
I bought 6 liter of..
It's the real whiskey to how the single malt should test like...
I click on Ralfy's videos quicker than anything.
The independent bottlings of Glen Garioch are sensational.
It is also very reasonably priced as well! One of my favorites.
Mine arrived yesterday. Gave it a try... still trying to wrap my head around it... it sure is complex, I'm just not sure yet if I'm into all the tasting notes. I smell a lot of sherry and some honey... but when I taste it the sherry isn't as powerful... maybe Im getting more of the bourbon influence which may be throwing me off. I started drinking Scotch earlier this year and going through a bit of a booty camp to be honest... and this wouldn't be the first bottle I struggle to enjoy at first only to really embrace it later. We'll see how this one goes. Too bad Summer is just starting here in Brazil and this dram would probably be more suited for some chilly winter nights.
Tried it again and managed to identify (ish) the tasting note that was throwing me off a bit... not sure how to describe it, but I get the same note on the Talisker 10... I may be so off here, but it's like a medicinal taste that's so present on the talisker (or maybe just some bitterness, but when I taste it I think "medicinal" although I'm not sure if that's how it should be described. It's probably just a very subtle hint of peat like we get on the Talisker, just less), I get it mostly on the finish. Just being able to find this correlation is satisfying, but truth be told I am more inclined to like (so far) drams like Bunna 12, GlenDronach 12 or even GlenAllachie 12. It's all part of the journey and I know my preferences will change with time. I don't regret getting it one bit, I intend to go through this bottle very slowly and decipher it as I go. Slàinte Mhath.
Been waiting for you to review this Whisky for a while, as I have never tried it but heard so much about it, I will definitely be trying it now.
Just bought this today, I'm still a beginner as far as single malts go, but I like it a lot and reminds me of Oban 14 which I tried only a few weeks ago but without the smoke.
Had it a few months ago and its really good. Not as complex as their 15 y but good enough. I just bought 3 liter for a good price.
Glen Garioch has a delicious NAS single malt under the McClelland brand. Your flavor notes describe this newer malt VERY ACCURATELY----- Twas my 2nd or 3rd ever single malt taste experience a few years back. Enjoying a dram of this scotch right now---and can only imagine how good the 12 yr you've got going on there is with this younger version being so damn good... Gonna have to perhaps get a bottle of the 12 sometime........
I have to admit------Your tasting notes are so fucking creepy accurate in describing this NAS malt I am sipping on right now----the distillery character is just UNMISTAKABLE in how you so eloquently describe your notes...... Just wow---I REALLY ANTICIPATE TRYING THE 12 YEAR!!.......MALTO-WOWZA malt moment here..... :) GREAT REVIEW AS ALWAYS RALFY.... SLAINTE!
. . . happy to help with the malt-moments !
Thanks for the review Ralfy, ordered one!
Thanks for your review, passionate as always. I've been a long time fan of the Glen Garrioch Founders Reserve. I will be getting the 12yo on my next order, along with a nice peater ;-)
Slainte!
Interesting that I had this in Glasgow and really enjoyed it. I bought a bottle in the states and it's okay, but not as good as I remember. Can heat or some other factor ruin a whisky in transportation? I'm going to try this again when I come over in October to Scotland. It will be interesting to see if I return to really liking it.
Based on your review, I asked Santa to kindly bring me one of these. He did and to my surprise on the box I found in tiny letters that it contains caramel for reasons of consistent appearance. This statement does not appear on the bottle. I guess the Swiss importer got his lot from Germany, where such statements are required by law. I guess, I will not taste the difference, but I like my drams un chill-filtered and without E150a, especially at this strength. I like a natural product and that is the reason, why I usually go for single cask and cask strength. The mouth feel, taste and nose are a totally different experience than the ones that are chill-filtered and diluted down to 43 or 40 %
So did you like it or not? It is 48% ABV.
How he was describing it, reminds me of when I last had Penderyn :)
Can be excellent. And sometimes not. Unfortunately I had rather big batch variations with this one. Only had this with Glenfarclas before.
Ah yes, good to see this review, and the high score. Bought a 1 litre bottle of this from an airplane recently - for under 30€! One of the best bargains ever! Now I'm really looking forward to opening the bottle as well.
Which airport is that?
I bought it from a plane, during a flight from Greece. Wasn't available at the airport.
Best value scotch ever
Ralfy, it's a lovely small distillery not far from me. The bloody hilarious thing is, my wife worked at a drug and alcohol rehab clinic smack bang next door. The wonderful smells would flow over the clinic. can't think what the thirsty inmates thought.
This now one of my favorite whiskeys, Thanx for the Great review.
Would you please review King Robert II whisky?
Took me a while to get used to, but now it’s just a dream of a whisky!
One for Christmas but i want to buy something around 18 years old up as a treat so much out there. fav at the moment lagavulin 16 and Glenfarclas 15 any ideas wud help peeps.Good review as always sir.
One of my favorite whisky in my collection. Great!! Amazing whisky!! 🥃🥃
This is my favourite affordable whisky. A bargain for what it is.
It is also decadent to add to festive hot drinks!
Great review Ralf, btw what are your thoughts on the new ‘minimum’ alcohol tax in Scotland (I know you live in the Isle of Man, but I’m still curious)?
I have an OMC bottle at 15yrs old, hope the 12 is close to the same (Ralfy makes it sound better) have heaps of Whiskys, but the Glen Garioch does something different then the rest, something floral and slightly sour....really nice, very goldylocks...not too much, not too little...just right
11:30 -11:40 right on the money!
Just tasted this... totally agree with you.. excellent whisky!
Hmm You added not just one but TWO teaspoons of water.... Personally I drink it neat. The lady at the distillery also said that She would add no water at all "But the way you drink it at home is all up to you!", kinda saying you shouldnt add water. SInce it tastes so good without any water, I havent tried adding any... Maybe I should, but just one teaspoon!
Apparently the main malt of the vat 69 blend mmm sad it is not available in my country :((
I'd love to see you circle back to this one and re-review it. Does it still hold up to the given malt mark?
Quiet, you. This one is available and affordable in my area. It would be nice if it stays that way for a while. 🙂
Move over Jim Murray, Ralfy is the new trail guide for us merry malt heads.
I found this very pleasant tastewise , but on the nose it was strangely constricted which didn't improve significantly as the bottle went down. Anybody else who noticed that?
So what about horrible UK decision to set floor driving up consumer prices on alcohol. How will this affect whisky?
You are forgiven, we love you
0:25 Methinks Ralfy should do more investigations with 3 pours like RalfyReview #507.
Lovely stuff for, been enjoying a 15 years version
Perfect review! If you could buy just one bottle lasanta 46% or glen garioch 12. which one do you pick?
. . . Lasanta !
nice rewiew as always. enoy theese after a work day help me calm down. would be fun if you would do some international whiskeys again :)
greetings from the forests of sweden
With Chistmas coming ....this sounds perfect !!!
Ralfy have you tried the 2010 Glen Garioch 8 Year Old "Old Particular" Single Barrel Cask Strength
Excellent review!
BTW. Speaking of fake online sales, here's one for you: an online seller is selling a $4,850 bottle of Macallan, 30-year old, double cask whisky for ...... $95.