Glen Garioch Old and New

[SasquatchMan]

By purest accident, I have recently experienced Glen Garioch 16 (or 15?). This is a lovely malt, with a super finish and a very complex woodiness to it. Interestingly, I also have on hand some McClelland's Highland, which I understand to be a 5 year old Garioch. It certainly tastes that way, and the comparison is quite interesing. Of note in the McClelland's is a real hit of honey or heather, and it's totally buried in the older dram. The five year is a touch less smooth, but coloration and the overall character are very similar.

It makes me a peasant, but I actually prefer the younger malt. It's interesting sweetness and direct malt flavour actually distinguishes it from any number of "run-of-the-mill" (but what a mill!) speyside/Highland whiskies.

[Lawrence]

We recently have had the good luck to have the Glen Garioch 15 return to the shevles of the our local stores. I have not done a comparison to the McClelland's but do have a bottle of the OB Glen Garioch 10 year old and it's a dram I really enjoy. Both the 10 and 15 are drams with weight and no hint of floral notes, I have found in the last while that such whiskies are more to my taste. I will taste both tonight and get back to you tomorrow regarding tasting notes.

[Admiral]

I'm a big fan of Glen Garioch, and the 15yo particularly. I love the lilting waft of smoke that tries to conceal itself behind the malt, wood, and spice.

SMWS bottlings of Glen Garioch have also been tasty.

Cheers,
Admiral

[Lawrence]

I completely forgot about the OB Glen Garioch 21, What a starnge beast, the current version has an almost spearmint taste to it. I bought it on the strength of the 10 and the 15 but something has gone a stray.

[Lawrence]

I tried the Glen Garioch 15 last night, the first dram in a few months and was horrified to taste the 'spearmint' that is so strong in the 21. This was not present when I first opened the bottle and is not present in the 10 year old. Both the 10 and the 15 have been open for the same amount of time and both are half full.
Very odd.

[hpulley]

I enjoy the 10yo, though at 40% it is a bargain malt. A good everyday drinker.

Harry

[Laphroaig]

Glen Garioch, and the 15yo particularly. I love the lilting waft of smoke that tries to conceal itself behind the malt, wood, and spice.

Cheers,
Admiral

I recently tried the 15 OB and was quite impressed - pretty much identical to what Admiral had to say above! Must of been from the same cask / vatting LOL.

I also picked up a bottle of Whisky Galore Glen Garioch (off the top of my head - I believe also 15 years old) - not cracked yet though.

Question - how would you pronounce this (American style) - Most including the tender where I tried this a couple of weeks ago, say "Glen Gahhh-Rock".

My understanding was it is said something like Glen Gahh Ree or Glen Gary if you are short + cheap on sylables and time.

Thanks!

[hpulley]

The last way, Glen Garee of Glen Gary seems to be the right way to pronounce it.

Harry

[andrewfenton]

Garioch is pronounced something between Gi-ree and Gee-ree, with the emphasis on the first syllable. The latter is more correct, but it's a short syllable so you don't hear it as much.

Hope that made sense.

[Admiral]

Having conversed with a gent who was born & raised in the vicinity, he assures me that locals refer to it as "Gear - ree".

(Gear as in "put your tennis gear on")

Cheers,
Admiral

[andrewfenton]

>>(Gear as in "put your tennis gear on")

Always amusing these sorts of phonetic type threads. I actually thought that's what I said It seems even in text you just repeat your own accent - perhaps the only way is to use one of these internationally standard pronounciation thingies.

Now that I think about it, my grandmother and mother, both born in the area, would say it completely differently to my Edinburgh accent - even if you asked them to pronounce "Gee-ree" from text. Curiouser and curiouser..........[/quote]

[lambda]

I really like the glen garioch 15 of whisky galore.. very 'toasty' I would say. But then again, I like all whisky galore bottlings I've tried so far (auchentoshan 10, mortlach 12, glen garioch 15). After reading this thread, I think I'll go look for an OB tomorrow..

[Laphroaig]

Thanks for the pronunciation(s) guys!

I really like the glen garioch 15 of whisky galore.. very 'toasty' I would say. But then again, I like all whisky galore bottlings I've tried so far (auchentoshan 10, mortlach 12, glen garioch 15). After reading this thread, I think I'll go look for an OB tomorrow..

Getting off the subject here, perhaps a diffferent thread soon to come. . . I've been very impressed with the Whisky Galore offerings as well. The only one that I found to be (somewhat ordinary) - and not in a bad way, was Aultmore which this store had for $29.99 and I couldn't resist. Wondering lambda, have you tried the WG -Glen Elgin 1991 12 year old? I found that to be a smashing Speyside!!

And to stay on topic here, comparing old to new, I was wondering do we mean old as in age (21) compared to newer as in only (10 years old) or are we inquiring about the character of the same whiskies produced by the distillery years ago compared to what they now produce? Asking because it also sounded like maybe the comparison was being drawn based on the age of current bottles. If so maybe the title would be more fitting Younger vs. Older instead "old & new"

Unfortunately Glen Garioch is one of many singles I never got around to becoming familiar with thus I have no idea if todays bottlings are different from yesterdays. I'm glad I did taste it recently though. It definitely earned a slot in my memory.

[lambda]

No I haven't tried the WG Glen Elgin. I will certainly look for it. Thanks

[Laphroaig]

No I haven't tried the WG Glen Elgin. I will certainly look for it. Thanks

I believe there is a WG Glen Elgin 1992 bottle also - that one I have not seen / tasted. The one I have and really enjoy is the 1991 bottle.