WF’s Little Duos, today stunning recent Glen Elgin


March 7, 2025

WF’s Little Duos, today stunning recent Glen Elgin (de la muerte)

We love tasting Glen Elgin; there are always little twists and turns, depth, and texture. Well, I know what I mean… In any case, we always think of the extraordinary old ads run by White Horse, of which Glen Elgin was/is one of the main malts, if not the principal one.

Imee Ooi (IMM Musicworks)

Glen Elgin 11 yo 2013/2024 (55.3%, Watt Whisky, hogshead, 170 bottles)

One should be as close to the natural distillate as possible here. Colour: white wine. Nose: a mix of oils, really—rapeseed, sesame, peanut, sunflower… I swear, it’s quite incredible, and I love it. In the background, a base of fresh apple juice, that’s all. And that’s plenty. With water: a chalky touch, a few drops of fountain pen ink, a little flour, and some sourdough… Mouth (neat): perfectly perfect. Barley eau-de-vie, beeswax, apple compote, a hint of fresh turmeric and mild pepper. Yes, it’s perfect indeed. With water: the Clynelish side of Glen Elgin emerges. Quite fitting, as it seems there hasn't been much Clynelish under its own name for a while now, and we do miss it. Finish: a playful touch of strawberry jam, then bread, waxes, and oils. More pepper in the aftertaste. Comments: rather brilliant, especially for fans of distillate-driven malts. Bottle to buy.
SGP:561 - 89 points.

Glen Elgin 33 yo 1991/2024 (54.2%, Signatory Vintage, Symington’s Choice, 1st fill oloroso sherry butt, cask #4073, 529 bottles)

Let’s get ready, check the glass, stretch a little… here we go. Colour: pure mahogany. Nose: insane, dark chocolate, toothpaste, cigar ash, clay, prunes, and loads of paraffin and plasticine. One doesn’t fully understand everything here, but we gladly surrender. With water: a piece of peat smouldering in the stove, antique embrocations, pipe tobacco, more prunes, and a touch of dried meat (biltong, beef jerky…). It’s unstoppable—you must yield. Mouth (neat): what even is this? Huge notes of old armagnac, lapsang souchong, 18th-century Jerez brandy at the very least, plus cinchona and liqueurs made from green walnuts and bitter oranges. There’s an utterly charming, almost moving antiquated feel to it—it’s like a recreation of a barely imagined past and I… (stop it now, S.). With water: pure madness now, with tonnes of pine sap. Please call the anti-maltoporn brigade. Finish: long, more tertiary, meaty, with morels and tobacco, and, of course, old oloroso. Comments: namo ratna trayaya, namo arya jnana sagara, vairochana, byuhara jara tathagataya, arahat e, samyaksam buddhaya (*) …
SGP:572 - 93 points.

(*) It is the awesome and very soothing Buddhist mantra of great compassion, very fitting for the present times. We recommend Imee Ooi’s renditions. De nada. Oh and Akari Tamura's are very good too.

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