A few young Glen Ord


October 31, 2024

A few young Glen Ord

Glen Ord (WF Archive 2006)

I would have liked to find some old Ords that we haven't yet tasted, especially those whose barley was malted in the old Saladin Box. Yes, it's good to have goals in life, but it probably won’t be for today. Anyway, we’re going to leave it to chance...

Glen Ord 10 yo 2012/2022 (52.3%, The Whisky Agency, RIFA, barrel, cask #800207, 118 bottles)

A flying pig on the label, reminding me somewhat of Pink Floyd. If one might say so. Colour: gold. Nose: a delightfully natural malt, the kind we often enjoy, but one we never tire of. Grist, chalk, apples, freshly cut grass, and a touch of wakame – all very fresh indeed. Not a hint of ham, mind you, ha! With water: the expected vanilla does show up, but gently. Fresh cake too. Mouth (neat): similar vibes, with cider apples, Golden Delicious, bread dough, a bit of green clay, and a touch of grapefruit zest. Then fresh malt and a hint of grass again, or Sauvignon Blanc perhaps (sometimes it’s hard to tell, ha). With water: a lovely bitterness comes through, with a slight tang. Finish: long, herbaceous, rounding off towards the end with a hint of custard. Comments: not the easiest malt, but it’s refreshingly honest, free from the sort of artifice we see all too often these days. I know, I do go on.
SGP:351 - 85 points.

The Singleton (of Glen Ord) 14 yo ‘Autumn Walk’ (54.7%, OB, Special Release, 2024)

‘Matured in bourbon casks and then finished in charred Pyrenean and Spanish oak cask ends’. LOL, good one! The question that remains is whether it was the Spanish or the French side of the Pyrenees? Or perhaps Andorra? Colour: deep gold. Nose: a bit rougher than the 2012, you definitely feel the influence of the oak(s) here, it’s like stepping into a cooperage. Then some rather charming notes of crème brûlée appear. It does come across as somewhat ‘worked on’ at this stage, but not in a bad way. No, not at all. With water: freshly sawn wood, though it improves after that. A whiff of old tweed, and even a faint touch of wet dog (woof). Mouth (neat): again, a hit of wood juice at first, then a mix of citrus and wood spices (ginger, coriander seeds, turmeric, nutmeg). If only one could enjoy whisky without that initial mouth attack! If anyone’s got a trick for that, do let me know. With water: tobacco and leather, plus some green spices. Finish: long, bitter, with hints of fruit skins. Still some new wood lingering in the aftertaste. Comments: very decent, though not my favourite style, Pyrenean oak or not. Plus, the more natural 2012 really overshadowed this one.
SGP:461 - 81 points.

Let's go back to a classic ex-bourbon...

Glen Ord 11 yo 2012/2024 (58.6%, Lady of the Glen, 1st fill bourbon barrel, cask #800186, 193 bottles)

Colour: straw. Nose: well, this is rather superior! Quite close to what you'd find from the one by the Whisky Agency, but with a tighter, more citrusy profile. There’s a lovely freshness about it—green apple, a touch of cactus, and freshly baked scones. With water: oh, splendid! Now we’re getting a bit of absinthe, peach syrup, a hint of damp earth, and some mint... What a lovely nose, fresh and expressive. Mouth (neat): yes indeed, here come the lemons and limes, green pepper, and grapefruit... Admittedly, it’s a bit sharp now, but we quite like that. With water: not much has changed, although you do get a touch of baker's yeast and, dare I say, a faint 7up note (let’s just ignore that). Finish: long, herbaceous, and still carrying that green pepper. Comments: it lost a point because of the 7up moment, but seriously, this is a fairly cracking whisky within this common genre. You just need to handle it with care—perfect for the pipette kings and queens among us.
SGP:361 - 84 points.

Glen Ord 11 yo 2012/2024 (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel)

Have we mentioned how much we like this new series from Signatory? The pricing is rather clever—very good for further building ‘consumer good will,’ which might come in handy in the not-too-distant future. Colour: straw. Nose: well, same territory as many others. There must be millions of these kinds of casks in Scotland, but that’s not a problem since they’re the ones we enjoy. Especially those that haven’t been dressed up like stolen cars. This one’s got a tad more waxiness, I’d say. With water: it’s almost like grapeseed oil, isn’t it? Mouth (neat): of course it’s good. Candied lemon, apple peel, grass, and a touch of bitter green tea. With water: that green malt note — I know that doesn’t make much sense beyond that marketing tagline for ‘sustainable malt’ —and still those apple and lemon peels. Lovely texture, it handles water beautifully. Finish: long, rougher, herbaceous, and a bit bitter. Comments: it’s a bit of a cowboy whisky—you could imagine sipping this while taking in the scenery and the lead actress’s... ahem... talents in 1883 on Netflix. Oops, that might get me into trouble…
SGP:361 - 84 points.

It’s the finishes that are a bit disappointing today. Right, I think it's a curse, they're all going to be the same. We'll stop after the next one... Because we really like Fadandel.

Glen Ord 11 yo 2012/2023 (58.8%, Fadandel, 1st Fill Bourbon Barrel, cask #800241, 213 bottles)

Good grief, how many of these 2012 ex-bourbon Ords are out there? Right, let's be quick... Colour: pale gold. Nose: identical to the Signatory bottling, with a few touches of coffee. It works. With water: freshly cut grass with a few flowers in the mix. That really works. Mouth (neat): same whisky as before. No complaints, it’s a good one. With water: turns quite herbaceous. Finish: long, with green pepper and a fair bit of bitterness. Comments: honest, dependable, and fair, although a bit tough.
SGP:361 - 83 points.

Alright, we'll really stop here. All these young ex-bourbon ones have been just a tiny-wee bit simple(ish) in fact, but they've somewhat overshadowed the new Special Release, even if that one was actually pretty decent. Well, it's not the best SR of the year 2024, but I haven’t tried them all yet. Hasta luego.

Check the index of all Glen Ord we've tasted so far