WhiskyNotes » Glen Keith

Craigduff 1973 32yo (Signatory Vintage)

Ruben — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:04:34 +0000

Craigduff was a peated experiment at the Glen Keith distillery (and not at Strathisla next to it, as stated on the label). They used peated malt but mostly peated water during distillation. Only a handful of single malt bottlings are available of Craigduff.

Craigduff 32y 1973 (49,4%, SV 2005, cask #2513, sherry butt, 566 fl.)

Beautiful nose, with notes of marzipan, ginger, apple compote and vanilla. After a while wax, a bit of peat and phenol shine through. Mouth: strong, grassy taste, more wax, peat and apples. Something burnt as well, but very subtle and not unpleasant. Medium long finish starting on oranges and developing on bitter, dry notes.

I have a sweet spot for peated non-Islay whisky and this one is surely interesting, but also rather sharp and too grassy to be a real cracker: 86/100. Price: +/- € 200.

Glen Keith 1970 (Malts of Scotland)

Ruben — Fri, 20 May 2011 04:02:00 +0000

You may have noticed that we’ve had a lot of very old whiskies lately, with very high scores. It’s simply the time of the year. The Whisky Fair, the Fulldram supertasting, the Weedram Masters in two weeks… these events have a big focus on exceptional old stuff. And of course we’re more excited about a
Glen Keith 1970 than the next Glen Wonka 2000.

We were stunned by the Glen Keith 1970 released by The Whisky Agency
a few months ago. Now Malts of Scotland has a similar bottling, probably from a sister cask? This one is slightly darker, more golden coloured.

Glen Keith 40 yo 1970 (47,9%, Malts of Scotland 2011, bourbon hogshead #6042, 163 btl.)

Nose: juicy ripe fruits (pears, gooseberries, peaches, tangerine, banana) with honey. Again a faint “green” edge of soft spices, mint and flowers. Maybe the warm vanilla / coconut side is even slightly bigger here, it seems the TWA version was slightly more acidic? All kinds of beehive notes here (honey, balm, pollen). Leather. Almonds. Wonderfully big and attractive. Mouth: the same kind of fruitiness, joined by a soft bitterness. Superb pineapple with coconut. Apricot jam. Vanilla. A little cinnamon and pepper. Mint. Finish: more of the same really, softly oaky and citrusy backed by spices.

Wow, another Glen Keith 1970 of exceptional quality. Personally I think this one has the better nose and the TWA version has the better palate, but differences are very very small and both are exactly my style. Great if you missed out on the other one. Around € 200.

Score: 93/100

Glen Keith 1970 (Whisky Agency)

Ruben — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 07:35:00 +0000

The stills at Glen Keith have been compared with those of Bushmills, and indeed, in the 1970’s (after the addition of an extra pair of stills) double and triple distillation were altered. Glen Keith had its own maltings and was still
coal-fired back then.

Glen Keith was mothballed in 2000 but it still performs some tasks for Strathisla, a nearby distillery connected via pipes.

Glen Keith 40 yo 1970 (45,1%,
The Whisky Agency ‘Landscapes’ 2010,
bourbon hogshead, 215 btl.)

Nose: I think “voluptuous” describes this one. Juicy pears, sweet tangerine, apricots, pineapple… a very warm, honeyed fruitiness freshened by some flowery notes. Buttercups, pollen and flower honey. My beloved marshmallows! Marzipan. A suggestion of coconut / vanilla. After fifteen minutes, these notes are joined by some grassy / yeasty notes and even a medicinal tinge. Immediately attractive but very complex in case you want to dig a little further. Mouth: lovely pineapple / vanilla / coconut combination. Now almost completely on fruity notes, with a lot of fruit jam (apricot mostly). Fruit cake with a layer of soft spices and herbal notes in the background. Evolves on pink grapefruit. Finish: long, round and fruity with beehive notes and ginger.

Sweet and utterly fruity, slightly candied, with hardly any oak to be detected. Splendid and way too drinkable. Around € 180 but sold out now as far as I can tell.

Score: 93/100

Glen Keith 1990 (Malts of Scotland)

Ruben — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:00:00 +0000

Glen Keith is a very young distillery (1957) that has been mothballed in 1999. All the equipment is still in place, so maybe one day Chivas will restart production. Releases are rare.

About a year ago a similar Glen Keith distilled in March 1990 was bottled by Douglas Laing in their Old Malt Cask series.

Glen Keith 19 yo 1990 (52,1%, Malts of Scotland 2010, cask 13678, 232 btl.)

Nose: mild and fruity with mostly white fruits: pear, nectarine, white grapes. Some lime. Reminds me of vinho verde, very fresh with a mineral touch. Quite some beeswax. Marmalade. Develops on green notes (grass and sage maybe?) Hints of chamomile and wheat flour as well. The whole has a slightly bubblegummy fruit profile – quite uncommon but very attractive, and it keeps developing over time. Lovely. Mouth: honeyed attack. The same fruits show up (+ apple and pineapple) and they’re backed by spices from the bourbon cask. Hints of ginger and pepper, some cinnamon. Hints of mocha in the aftertaste. Finish: medium length, round with milk chocolate and spices.

The name Glen Keith does not have much fame, but this will open your eyes (and mouth). Fresh and mature at the same time. Dangerous stuff because it drinks like lemonade. Around € 75. Recommended.

Score: 91/100