Glen Spey young and old


May 2, 2025

WF’s Little Duos,
today Glen Spey young and old

A wonderful commercial postcard for Glen Spey Pure Malt Whisky,
aka 'all barley malt whisky', W&A Gilbey, UK, circa 1910.

Not the most famous of distilleries today, but Glen Spey is still enjoyed from time to time – though it remains rather rare. It's a bit like, say, Gendullan. That said, one shouldn't forget that Glen Spey was quite actively promoted by its owners, W&A Gilbey, as early as the 19th century – a reminder that the notion Scottish single malts only began to be distributed from the late 1950s, spread all over the web like a bad meme with high staying power, is sheer nonsense.

Glen Spey 9 yo 2015/2025 (57.1%, Signatory Vintage, 100 Proof Edition #37, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt)

Always these very affordable series from Signatory, with that heavily worked sherry that perhaps doesn’t always let the character of the distillate shine through, but does its job very, very well. Colour: full gold. Nose: ah this is pretty, there's a touch of exhaust fumes (not pleasant in the street but sometimes rather charming in your glass), then green walnuts, cherry stalks, and peach leaves. A few hints of satay sauce, followed by pear cake. With water: marked saponification but it fades quickly, then comes a mix of Indian spices, think tandoori seasoning. Mouth (neat): surprising, on mustard, pepper, tar and dark chocolate, quite the unusual trio. With water: this time, beyond the Indian spices, there's candied ginger and fir bud. Really very unusual. Finish: long, and there's even a flavour of poppadums at the end. Comments: very hard to categorise, this isn't your typical sherry cask. In any case, it feels much more Indian than those super Indian malt whiskies, ha.
SGP:371 - 84 points.

Glen Spey 29 yo 1995/2024 (54.1%, Maltbarn, The 26, sherry cask, 42 bottles)

A rather demure label this time from Maltbarn, unless this fish happens to be extremely venomous, or ultra-rare, or capable of flight... you see what I mean. Colour: gold. Nose: it’s soft, floral, delicately waxy, with hints of freshly snapped twigs, dandelion blossom, a few puffs of cedarwood, and above all, bergamot sweets, the king of sweets. At least where they make them, in the city of Nancy, Lorraine, France. A tiny note of coconut. With water: Chablis with touches of menthol. Fresh barley in the background. Mouth (neat): ah this is lovely, taut, on herbal teas and citrus, with noticeable but delicate wood, which somewhat evokes old English cigarette tobacco. You’ll see what I mean if you’ve ever smoked untipped English cigarettes, like Senior Service or those red-pack Bensons. Not that I recommend doing that if you never have, mind you! (Smoking seriously harms your health and that of others around you). With water: still very elegant, this time on citrus cordials. Finish: medium length, on orgeat syrup and pistachio. Comments: rather impressed by the balance and poise of this old Glen Spey. A pity there aren’t more bottles.
SGP:451 - 89 points.

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