Douglas Laing is well known for its Old Malt Cask series. Recently they’ve also introduced the Old Grain Cask. It’s a series of single cask bottlings from single grain distilleries.

Garnheath (also spelled Garneath) is so rare most people have never heard of it. The distillery was located in the Lowlands, established in 1965 and closed down in 1986. The number of releases can be counted on one hand. Douglas Laing seem to have a reasonable stock – recently they’ve also released a similar cask in the Clan Denny range at 47,9%.

Garnheath 40 yo 1969 (51,6%, Douglas Laing OGC 2009, 154 btl.)

Nose: very smooth and gentle. Typical old grain whisky (coconut and vanilla) but with very few glue notes and very few notes of varnish. Not at all harsh. Lots of white chocolate. Mashed banana. Hints of rum. Papaya. Mouth: the coconut goes on and on. Drier than most other grain whisky. Lots of cereals and oak. Cedar wood I would say. Nutmeg and mint. A very faint hint of burnt grass. Menthol in the aftertaste. Finish: rather short with the oak and vanilla having the last word.

A grain whisky that has a lot to say. The complexity is above par and the end result is better than many malt whiskies. One of the best grains I’ve had. Around € 120 but it seems to be sold out.

Score: 87/100