Glengoyne 21 Year Old

Glengoyne 21 Year Old used to be the oldest expression in the core range of Glengoyne, until the 25 Year Old came along. It is matured in first-fill European oak sherry casks. With the recent rebranding of the bottles, it seems the price has gone up a bit, but it’s still pretty good value.

 

Glengoyne 21 YearsGlengoyne 21 yo ‘sherry matured’
(43%, OB 2013)

Nose: very lively and attractive. Richly sherried. Sour oranges. Red fruits (raspberries and redcurrants, candied apples) and cinnamon. A little leather and nuts. Vanilla cake and light cocoa. Touches of menthol as well. Balance is key.

Mouth: starts fresh and slightly sour, with very nice sherry notes but also a certain lightness that works well. Raspberries again. Apples, oranges. It then grows creamier (butterscotch, biscuits). Finally a wave of toasted oak and spices (especially cloves) which brings a slightly tangy dryness to it.

Finish: medium length, with cinnamon and green tea. Maybe a tad too dry now.

For such a large-scale release, Glengoyne 21 is very aromatic. Excellent balance and full of character. This could have been a cracker with a slightly higher ABV (like the 25) and a tamed oakiness towards the end. Around € 100 but prices seem to vary a lot.

Score: 86/100