A mini verticale of Glen Grant from the 1930s up to 1998, in no particular order


June 3, 2025

A mini verticale of Glen Grant from the 1930s up to 1998, in no particular order

We'll start by tasting a well-aged Glen Grant, entirely natural, from a top indie bottler (official bottlings, whichever they may be, always tend to ‘enhance’ their malts more). Then we’ll move on to a few old vintages, that’s the main aim today, after all, and finally the new G&M, which is the real reason for this little session.

Mr George Urquhart (G&M)

Glen Grant 26 yo 1998/2024 (53.5%, The Whisky Agency, hogshead, 150 bottles)

Rumour has it that the people on the label are Mr & Mrs Carsten Ehrlich on holiday in Monte Carlo. But you know we don’t put much stock in rumours, don’t you… Colour: white wine (bingo) Nose: splendid tension, bursting with lime and green apple, then hints of damp chalk, followed by that classic rhubarb and gooseberry duet. Luminous and utterly decisive. With water: fresh barley, then grist and wort in full swing. One could scarcely be closer to the raw material, and that's after 26 years. Mouth (neat): totally coherent, grapefruit, limestone, wee berries, rowan… It's nearly a young Chablis. With water: cracking ale, flawless maltiness, fresh bread, and apple cake drizzled with lemon juice. Finish: long and piercingly vertical. A touch of aniseed in the aftertaste. Comments: indeed, a radiant malt with not a jot of cosmetic fluff. We’re on the same page.
SGP:551 - 90 points.

Here we are, ready for the old legends...

Glen Grant 8 yo (70° Proof, Gordon Graham & Co. Aberdeen, 1930s)

Gordon Graham & Co. is a merchant firm best known for their Black Bottle blend. The bottle itself clearly points to a pre-WWII edition. Colour: white wine Nose: this is where it gets rather unsettling, and why I picked this wee chap—we’re strikingly close to the 1998, same profile, same tension, same minerality at first, before it goes all fractal and veers off in several directions, notably towards stewed fruits (quince, medlar), unguents (camphor, eucalyptus, mint essence), and absolutely bonkers levels of aromatic herbs. Tarragon, chervil, watercress, oyster leaf, coriander, basil, lemongrass, and heaps of others. An utterly mind-blowing nose—so complex yet so pure. Mouth: terrifyingly powerful, mineral, and textured—practically barley oil. There's a very medicinal streak again, all things chalky and broadly earthy, lemon zest, and those herbal essences and reductions all the top chefs are so fond of nowadays. Including goutweed, which I stumbled upon at the Burehiesel in Strasbourg just last Saturday. Warmly recommended, by the way! Finish: long, with a perfect balance of medicinal notes, citrus, and chalkiness. Only the aftertaste is ever so slightly soapy, as sometimes happens with very old bottles. Comments: bonkers, this little 8-year-old—nearly hypnotic.
SGP:562 - 92 points.

Glen Grant-Glenlivet 23 yo 1964/1988 (46%, Cadenhead, Aberdeen)

The final years of those famous ‘black dumpies’ (no, that’s not the name of some forgotten yet dazzling RnB outfit). Full-on sherry here, it would seem. Colour: mahogany Nose: oh indeed, total sherry, with an old Malaga vibe supercharged by vintage crème de menthe, prune juice, and morels stewed in vin jaune. Implausible? Hardly—it’s marvellous, especially with those classic metal polish touches so typical of this legendary series. Mouth: ooh, this is magnificent, far more so than other GG 1964s that may have been more erratic according to my notes, though some were wonderful. Sublime combo of broths, chocolate, coffee, and minty liquorice, before we drift into old citrus liqueurs from Sicily or Sardinia (or perhaps Corsica). These 46%/80°proof bottlings really hit the sweet spot. Finish: long, almost thick, with a slightly tardy but very welcome arrival of sun-dried muscat grapes, origin irrelevant. Comments: the perfect foil to the old 8-year-old. For the record, this baby was distilled in November 1964 and bottled in February 1988.
SGP:661 - 93 points.

Let’s head over to Berry Bros….

Glen Grant 1948/1960 (70°proof, Berry Bros. & Rudd, 3, St. James’s St.)

Remember, Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant, and this bottle (filled the year someone (guess who) was born) certainly looks properly antique. For this vintage, it’s said that coal and coke were scarcer in the immediate post-war years, so peat was sometimes reused for malting. That’s why, generally speaking, post-war malts were often ‘smokier’, as at Macallan for instance, at least in my humble experience. Anyway, always a pleasure to revisit these antique marvels… Colour: gold Nose: believe it or not, this feels like a blend of the previous two, capturing the tension of the old 8-year-old and the majestic heft of the 1964, which, after all, was only distilled 16 years later. Sublime damp earth, mushrooms and mosses, citrus liqueurs, very old sweet wines, then honeys of every persuasion, furniture waxes, ancient beeswax (proper old hive stuff), and even the scent of old books. Books about whisky, of course—or better yet, old philosophical tomes. Mouth: bone marrow and honey broth, vintage Cointreau, sultanas, aged fermented teas, earthy pipe tobacco… It’s beginning to lose a bit of steam, but that’s totally expected. Well, I’ve made a blunder, I should have tasted this baby before the Cadenhead (what a muppet, S.!). Finish: slightly short, but of unfathomable complexity. A touch of Iberian ham, assorted honeys, ancient meads, and venerable pear ciders… Comments: astounding for this strength and after 65 years in a bottle.
SGP:551 - 91 points.

Let’s finish with the new (and final) Mr George Legacy from G&M, if you don’t mind…

Glen Grant 70 yo 1954/2025 'Mr George Legacy Final Edition' (50.5%, Gordon & MacPhail, first fill sherry puncheon, cask #1823, 130 bottles)

This likely little marvel certainly pays homage once more to George Urquhart, but it also marks the 130th anniversary of the famous house. I believe that, following the already historic vintages we’ve just tasted, we are now fully ready to appreciate this 70-year-old at its true worth. May I remind you that we consider context and, above all, comparison to be very important in tasting. Colour: dark amber. Nose: as almost always with these old G&Ms, what’s most striking is the combination of an almost unnatural freshness with all the complexity that only such ages can truly deliver. I’m not sure if that’s entirely clear (smile). What really stands out here is also just how close we are to a very old Cognac or a very old rum, or indeed a very old sherry of course, which once again lends weight to the theory of convergence among old spirits. We find all the dried grapes imaginable (chenin, muscats, PX and all the others), then an incredible trio of blood orange and peaches + honeys + mints and old cumin liqueur. With water: we delve into the depths of a spice cellar, discovering peppers, cinnamons, vanillas, and also tobaccos. A touch of varnish too. Mouth (neat): what power! Fir honey blended with cinnamon, mint, myrtle and caraway, then tobacco and, brace yourselves, tiny touches of old Moutai, of Nuits-St.-Georges (George <–> Georges, naturally) and of very dark chocolate. With water: the oak becomes just slightly more evident (ginseng, black teas, nutmeg, cinnamon, cocoa) but everything remains perfectly in order, we’re still in heaven. Finish: the little herbs emerge, rather like in the old 8-year-olds from the 1930s. Sorrel, wild garlic, woodruff… It’s always magical when extra dimensions appear in the finish, which is firmer, yet also more beautiful without water, incidentally. Very dark chocolate, mint and fir buds in the aftertaste. Comments: Gordon & MacPhail are truly the kings of long maturations that succeed brilliantly. I wonder whether we oughtn’t call them the Clint Eastwoods of whisky (I do hope I’m not ruffling any feathers by saying so, at least not in Scotland).
SGP:561 - 93 points.

At the risk of sounding a bit crude (as usual, S.), I’ve put together a quick overview of my thoughts on the previous Glen Grant ‘Mr George’ editions, and the final ranking would be as follows:

The 1958/2023 4th Ed., 95 points
The 1953/2021 1st Ed., 94 points
The 1954/2025 Final Ed., 93 points
The 1959/2023 3rd Ed., 93 points
The 1956/2019 Cent. Ed., 93 points
The 1957/2021 2nd Ed., 92 points

As you can see, it’s all rather rock and roll. Thanks, and well done to Gordon & MacPhail.

(Merci Angus, merci Patrick)

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