The Singleton of Glen Ord 17 yo 'Into the Blue' (55.5%, OB, Special Releases 2025, second fill ex-sherry and mezcal finish)
Into the blue? In any case, agave spirits do seem to be making their mark on Diageo's malts, and one can’t say it’s a daft idea given our fondness for top-notch mezcals and great tequilas. Colour: pale gold. Nose: fairly oily at first nosing, with earthy touches and pipe ash, then increasingly briny olive oil and gherkins in brine. This is all very mezcal indeed, though perhaps not quite what one would expect from an Ord. Let’s dig a little deeper, if you don’t mind... With water: more notes of damp paper and wet cardboard, still plenty of olives, some green tapenade (anchovies, garlic and olives), and even a dab of aioli. The malt itself doesn’t have a huge amount to say, but we do enjoy the overall effect. Mouth (neat): a UFO of sorts, the mezcal is front and centre—salty, peppery, briny, packed with olives—then a honey and vanilla combo that feels almost out of place in this context. All this is rather ‘trans’, as they say. With water: the malt resurfaces, with hints of beer and chocolate, but the mezcal still runs the show, cartel-style. Ha. Finish: medium in length, earthier still, with a touch of coconut in the aftertaste. Comments: a wee Glen O(rd)axaca in fine fettle, even if the whole remains a little... odd.
SGP:352 - 82 points.