Glen Grant

by **Iain** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 9:20 am

Press reported last week that Pernod must sell Glen Grant as part of EU conditions for acquisition of Allied.

Who do you think will buy GG, a big distillery and the world's second-best selling sms?

Highland?

by **Admiral** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:16 am

Not too long ago, I recall that Glen Grant, Glen Keith, Strathisla, and Glenlivet were all under common ownership, but then the Chivas/Seagrams portfolio was broken up.

Any idea who currently owns what?

Cheers,
Admiral

(Sorry Iain, this doesn't immediately help with your question about GG, but if the four were broken up, I wonder whether one of the other parties would consider buying back in?)

by **The Fachan** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 8:57 am

Admiral,

Glen Keith(mothballed|), Strathisla and Glenlivet are all owned by Chivas Bros. Glen Grant will only be sold on completion of the deal to buy Aliied Domecq.

Ian

by **Iain** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:04 am

Admiral, I believe that all the Chivas Scotch whisky distilleries were acquired by Pernod, which subsequently has sold only one of them (Benriach). There were rumours that Braeval might be available for sale, but I don't think anything has come of it.

by **Admiral** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 1:18 pm

Ah, I see. So who bought Benriach?

by **kallaskander** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:12 pm

Hi there,

Admiral, sir, to my knowledge a South-African consortium who had never had any dealings in whisky as yet. But they gave us the Curiositas and sold some of the peated stuff on to Signatory and out came the "Heavily Peated Benriach" in their Un-chillfiltered Collection. As to the question who buys whom, there is always Diageo. They backed up the Pernod bid and for that they are to receive some goodies. Bushmills, Northern Ireland is the first. Diageos indirect support for PR made some Us-American likelies step down with their bid. Who knows? European press is reporting that some candidates have come forward to buy up surplus distilleries becoming redundant for PR after the deal and after the European cartel agencies have ruled. Without garanty there were Bruichladdich, Glenfiddich or 1887 Group respectively mentioned. There is so much knews on that topic everyday you just can´t follow it all and remember it. Jeroen Kloppenburg´s http://www.peatfreak.com just voted one of the best news pages on whisky issues or something by Whisky Magazine has consecutive information. But you do know that, don´t you?
To buy Glen Grant will not be easy for a big fish because of the amount of control over the market that could give to a company like Diageo. That is why PR are not allowed to keep it in the first place.

Congratulations Jeroen. Peatfreak has been my starting page for my browser before that. Good work.

Greetings
kallaskander

by **Admiral** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:28 pm

Yes, Peatfreak's Tasting Notes program has been my liquid log database for my tasting notes for quite some time now!

Cheers,
Admiral

by **Frodo** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 10:33 am

Interesting that on this forum, no one (to my memory) has stated they had some Glen Grant in any of the threads pertaining to "what did you drink last night/today/what was your last whisky purchase". The LCBO doesn't carry Glen Grant as a general list item, and probably gets in a limited shipment once in a while. The last time a respectably priced bottle showed up was a few years ago.

I'm wondering if it's really that bad? I know the distillery makes a lot of the stuff, so it should be out there. Anyone have any opinions or feedback about the stuff? Good experiances or bad?

Frodo

by **richard** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 10:43 am

hi frodo i was lucky enough to try glen grant at the distillery after the tour in the garden what a lovely place to relax

anyway the whisky is very nice not special but very pleasant easy to drink nothing bad about the only problem i had was they offer it with orange juice less said on that i woulndt go out of my way for it but wouldnt refuse hope this helps

richard

by **Iain** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 1:13 pm

I enjoy the 10 year old ob. It's a very respectable, old-fashioned Speysider and usually sells for a reasonable price if you can find it - I think it's still available in Oddbins shops in UK. I don't think that much of it is bottled by the company, and presumably it gets little marketing "push" because it would only compete with The Glenlivet.

The 5 yo is the big seller, and it is promoted as a long drink and for its "mixability" - I recall an ad campaign in the late 1990s recommending folks drink it topped up with apple juice. Primarily targeted at European markets, especially Italy. A bit too "young" and lacking in complexity to appeal to traditional maltheads for drinking on its own or with a splash, I fear. But correct me if you think I'm wrong!

There was a no-age version that was aimed mostly at German market (and France?) I think - don't know if that's still available, but it was pretty similar to the 5yo, if memory serves.

I wonder if the garden will survive a change in ownership. It must cost a small fortune in maintenance costs.

edit - ps:

The only person I've ever met who put orange juice in whisky was a young French woman. Is it common practice in France? I've never tried whisky and orange, and feel a bit queasy at the thought!

by **Admiral** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 1:41 pm

Glen Grant is not actually imported into Australia. The various expressions that I've owned and/or tasted were ones I purchased via international order, or were private bottlings for clubs/societies, etc.

I've tried 4 or 5 different expressions, and I enjoyed all of them, although to varying degrees. One particular single cask bottling from a first fill sherry cask was, almost without doubt, the most sublime, stellar, delicious sherry monster I've ever encountered.

It always interested me that Glen Grant was not exported to Australia, whilst all its stablemates were. Most good bottleshops stock Glenlivet, Glen Keith, Longmorn, Benriach, and Strathisla. Unusual that Glen Grant was left out of the equation?

Cheers,
Admiral

by **Admiral** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 1:45 pm

Hey! In typing the above message, I just realised that we left Longmorn out of the early part of this thread.

Who owns Longmorn at the moment? Is it still part of the original group?

Cheers,
Admiral

by **Lawrence** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 5:12 pm

At last look, while only a short while ago, and may be out of date info, Longmorn was owned by PR.

Frodo as to Glen Grant it's one of may favourites and for the life of me I don't know why we can't buy it here. I have had some older GG's from the SMWS that were exceptional and I am half way through a G&M bottling that I really enjoy and it only cost me C$45.

by **Iain** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 5:46 pm

Longmorn, Glen Keith, Benriach and Strathisla were "packaged" as the Heritage Selection back in the 1990s, and as such got shipped to Chivas markets around the word. It wasn't a very well thought-out alternative to the Classic 6, however, and never did get much marketing push. Afaik GK is no longer bottled as a sms and Benriach is no longer owned by Chivas. But old Heritage Selection 4-bottle stands can still be seen in bars around the world.

Longmorn is still owned by PR and I believe it will be given a greater "push" soon. I heard a special ob is planned (a 25 yo?).

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 9:44 am

I have tried only the GG 10 OB. It is very good value, sweet, syrupy and with a quite distinctive nutty flavour. When I was on the whisky detail for our Gaidhlig class weekend away, I was given a budget of £60 to supply whisky. Rather than doing blends, I went for a GG10, a Benromach Traditional, and a Signatory Ledaig (~11yo?). They all went down well, but particular praise came for the Glen Grant.

by **lucabeer** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:29 am

Iain wrote:
The 5 yo is the big seller, and it is promoted as a long drink and for its "mixability" - I recall an ad campaign in the late 1990s recommending folks drink it topped up with apple juice. Primarily targeted at European markets, especially Italy. A bit too "young" and lacking in complexity to appeal to traditional maltheads for drinking on its own or with a splash, I fear. But correct me if you think I'm wrong!

Yes, Glen Grant 5 is big in Italy. You will find it in ANY bar, even in the most remote places.

But it was never advertised as ideal for mixers or as a long drink (at least in Italy). I still remember the TV commercials some years ago with some guys savoring it straight: very unusual, since on TV commercials we were used to seeing blends with lots of ice.

As a matter of fact, the only other single malt of which I remember a TV commercial in Italy is the Macallan 7 (in which they spoke of 7 years as an unusually long maturing time... ROTFL!).

Anyway, Glen Grant 5 is decent: dry, a bit spirity, slighlty fruity, very clean. Not complex or memorable, but very drinkable and somewhat refreshing.

by **Iain** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 12:14 pm

I remember going to a Seagram Italia promo night at a trendy bar near the Cathedral in Milan, c 1997, where Glen Grant was being served up by very attractive barmaids, every which way but straight (the whisky, that is!).

But from what you say, this "mixability" idea wasn't developed in Italy.

The GG visitor centre used to show many of the old GG ads from Italian tv (from 1980s?). Very funny but I can't remember any promoting mixing. Also can't remember the main character's name, but he played a rather pompous whisky aficionado who would go to ridiculous lengths to promote his favourite malt. I have met many Italians of a certain age who remember the ads fondly.

by **lucabeer** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:10 pm

Yes! The main character's name was Michele... the "whisky expert"!

We all remember his sentence: "Colore chiaro, gusto pulito, è Glen Grant!" (Clear colour, clean taste, it's Glen Grant!).

by **Iain** » Fri Jul 15, 2005 8:13 pm

That's him! Pronounced "Mikaili"? I remember him insisting that his friends blindfold him, and then he picks out the Glen Grant from a number of whiskies put before him. And some silly business about the French Foreign Legion?

They don't make 'em like the good ole days...

by **bernstein** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:09 am

Do you have £75m in your petty cash? Pernod puts Glen Grant up for sale. :wink:

http://business.scotsman.com/agricultur ... 1673462005

by **Jeroen Kloppenburg** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 9:41 am

There is a second smaller post on their site as well: http://heritage.scotsman.com/news.cfm?id=1673882005

kallaskander and Admiral: thanks for the kind words on the website =D The site is my little baby and there isnt a day I dont spend at least an hour or so updating it, working on new sections, etc =)

Just wished more people using the program will now and then also submit a note or two

I really hope the tatsing notes database will one day become THE choice for whisky enthousiast to come looking for independently written tasting notes (not saying it is useless now though! It is one of the most popular sections on the website

).

by **Iain** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 4:44 pm

Here's the latest newspaper report re Glen Grant. Looks like GG will have a new owner soon?

http://www.theherald.co.uk/business/47573.html

by **Gordo** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 5:21 pm

As mentioned earlier, I rec'd a bottle of Glen Grant 5yo as a gift. It was purchased at a grocery store in Vienna and has a screw top. As I'm still new to SMS I can't give nosing/tasting notes as those more schooled in the art, but I know what I like and the only way I can describe this bottle is that it tastes" brackish". I wouldn't use it to mix Rusty Nails. Is the screw top common? I haven't seen it here on a single malt as yet. Or could it be a fake.?

by **kallaskander** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 9:24 am

Hi there,

hello Gordo, if the malt in that bottle is very pale, the bottle has a label that is elaborate but mostly black and there is a srew top, why you have nothing else in your hand but the standard Glen Grant. That malt is one of the top five in the world, you can get it in most supermarkets. It is very young and does not really testify for the great quality, sophistication and depth older Glen Grants show. I haven´t had one in years, but brackish does not describe what I seem to recall. It is young, not overly complex, fruity, fresh and light in body. Not a overlong finish. In a word rather simple but cheap as well.

Greetings
kallaskander

by **Jeroen Kloppenburg** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 9:59 am

At the distillery we had a 10 year old (apparently only for sale in the UK) which I very much liked. Also, I have a 23 year old GG from Cadenhead at the moment which is absolutely adorable.

So with some age GG is for sure maturing into an entirely different animal ... (I am not particulairly fond on the standard young OB either....)

by **Iain** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:26 pm

Imho the 10 year old is greatly under-rated. A good old-fashioned Speysider, and it can usually be found for a decent price in UK - I think it was £16.99 last I saw it in Oddbins.

I had the good fortune to sample a few drams of the ob 30yo a few years back. A long-serving distillery man was rather dismissive and thought it woody, but I loved it.

by **Aidan** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:54 pm

Janey mack, it's so long since I've had Glen Grant. There's some back in my parents' home. I'll get stuck into some. Can't remember whether I like it or not.

by **Aidan** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:55 pm

bernstein wrote:Do you have £75m in your petty cash? Pernod puts Glen Grant up for sale.

http://business.scotsman.com/agricultur ... 1673462005

I only have £74 million, so I'm million short. So close and yet so far.

by **Iain** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 8:36 pm

Aidan - maybe you could negotiate a wee discount for cash?

I mentioned on another thread that Michael Jackson claims his first taste of sms was a 12 yo Glen Grant, ordered in an Edinburgh pub about 45 years ago. The standard bottling for the UK was an 8yo for a long time (during the 1970s?), and I've seen references to OB 12s and 15s in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s. Strangely, the 10yo was once for export only.

I read somewhere that in the 1980s Glen Grant 5yo was the most popular whisky (not just sms) in Italy, overtaking Ballantines. Anyone know if that's true?

by **Admiral** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 4:32 am

I read somewhere that in the 1980s Glen Grant 5yo was the most popular whisky (not just sms) in Italy, overtaking Ballantines. Anyone know if that's true?

Can't confirm whether it's true or not, but I have heard/read the same statement mentioned here and there.

Cheers,
Admiral

by **Aidan** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 7:36 am

I think I've mentioned this here before, but the story goes that the Italians wer mad for 5yr old whisky. Bushmills also released a 5 yr old on the Italian market.

Anyway, they sold so much 5 yr old Glen Grant that they ran out, and started selling 6 yr old Glen Grant, labeling it 5 yr old. This ran out too. Eventually, they were selling 12 yr old whisky and labeling it 5 yr old...

by **Jeroen Kloppenburg** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 7:39 am

AFAIK the 10yo is now UK only. We in holland only get that younger one wich I dont really like... The 10yo is awesome however.

On our tour a few weeks back at GG they also stated the number 1 position in Italy, which is also why Pernod Ricard needs to sell it off due to having 2 brands in the top 5 in Italy (if I remmeber correctly).

Now I have this 23 yo GG from Cadenheads which is absolutely adorable... GG really gets a lot better with age.