Another short selection of recent Glen Ord


August 26, 2025

Another short selection of recent Glen Ord

Indeed, we often taste Glen Ord, simply because we love Glen Ord. Believe it or not, we never build our line-ups based on brands' market share, their popularity, or even their image. It’s also worth mentioning that the ‘square’ bottled versions from Diageo, some twenty years ago, made a very, very strong impression on us.

(The very extraordinary Glen Ord 30 yo from 2005 - WF 93)

Glen Ord 8 yo (48.5%, Decadent Drinks, Equinox & Solstice Summer 2025 edition)

From two refill hogsheads) You’ll note that all this solstice and equinox business appears to matter a great deal more to the wilder northern tribes than it does to us, humble dwellers of middle-Europe. At least, that seems to be the case for the Scots. Colour: straw. Nose: pure multivitamin fruit juice. One might imagine that if you saw a doctor, he’d simply prescribe you a bottle of this baby—so straightforward, yet so utterly perfect. That said, it’s williams pear that gently leads the charge. Mouth: a notch more complexity on the palate. Caution, it may give the impression you can knock it back in one, but that would be unwise, there’s still a fair few volts humming in there. Patisserie notes, custard, honey, syrups, all come together with properly ripe fruit. Finish: inexplicably long, fresh, fruity, yet never lapsing into that excessive ‘eau-de-vie’ territory. Comments: top drawer stuff, dangerously drinkable (or is it!)
SGP:641 - 87 points.

Glen Ord 11 yo 2012/2024 (56.4%, Milroy’s Soho Selection, bourbon barrel, cask # 800243)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: and here we go, an Ord-Clynelish. Not at all like the previous one, but here the waxy side simply can’t go unnoticed by any attentive taster. The rest is absolutely top-notch, sea air, apples and pears, fresh grass… What a nose indeed. With water: it folds entirely into paraffin and shoe polish. Mouth (neat): a thunderous arrival, earthy, almost combative, briny, fermentary, peppery… Water should bring a truce, as it usually does. With water: fermenting fruit, seawater, mezcal… Something odd must have happened, but we love it. Finish: long, salty, coastal. Comments: a strange Ord, perhaps a stencil mix-up, or yet another barcode editor update gone awry, as always. Either way, we’re absolutely taken with this very improbable and decidedly deviant Ord.
SGP:462 - 89 points.

Glen Ord 12 yo 2012/2025 ‘Edition #46’ (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof, 1st fill bourbon barrels)

Colour: straw. Nose: this one’s the purest, the simplest (in the best possible sense) of the trio. And perhaps the most ‘Ord’ of the lot. Honeys, pollens, ripe apples, mirabelles, apricots, with a waft of coastal freshness. Nothing to fault here. With water: ultra-simple, excellent, on lemon fruit jelly and acacia honey. Mouth (neat): when simplicity becomes a virtue. Pear and apple juice, lemon juice, a saline touch, with hints of sourdough and white beer. With water: no real shift, just more softness and those gently malty, fermentary tones. Finish: fairly long, classic, drifting towards lemon focaccia. Comments: this is also very good indeed. Such class, Glen Ord.
SGP:451 - 87 points.

Check the index of all Glen Ord we've tasted