Let’s try a well-known standard Glengoyne. We’ve tried the Glengoyne 10 years before, we skip the 12 year-old and get to the 17 years which is still available in some shops, but recently replaced by a 15 years and 18 years in the revamped core range. I tried this a few years ago at the Hesperia whisky bar in Madrid – now I’m trying it head-to-head with the 10 years.

Glengoyne 17 yo (43%, OB 2009)

Nose: the same malty core that we found in the 10yo, now a tad more buttery. Toffee, some citrus peel. Baked apples. Hints of cedar wood. Mouth: a bit more sherried and a lot more oaky than the 10yo. A better mouthfeel as well (probably due to the extra 3% alcohol), slightly oily with richer flavours. Oranges. Creamy vanilla. Some pepper. Brazil nuts and raisins towards the end. Finish: medium long, with nuts, leather and drying oak.

Glengoyne 17 is a step up from the 10yo, but again I feel it’s a little understated and it hardly stands out. On the other hand it’s rather smooth and quite sophisticated. Around € 45 (or € 55 for a full litre).

Score: 81/100