Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve Tasting Notes

glen-garioch-founders-reserveThe Highland region is massive. It’s basically all of northern Scotland with a little chunk removed, named Speyside, and is home to many well known distilleries like Glengoyne, Glenmorangie, Edradour, Dalmore, Macallan, Oban… the list goes on and on. Funny enough, it doesn’t actually include Highland Park, which is located in Orkney which is part of the Northern Isles.

Glen Garioch, pronounced Glen Geery, was founded in 1797 and is located near Aberdeenshire – famous for producing the best barley in Scotland. It would make sense that a distillery call it home! If you’re into trivia, it is the easternmost distillery. The distillery has had a wild ride, having been shut down and restarted a few times, most recently closed temporarily between 1995-1997, but is now in full production after renovation in 2009.

I’ve never been there before but they’re one of several distilleries that allow you to bottle your own at the visitor’s center, always a nice little treat.

Glen Garioch is currently operated by Morrison Bowmore Distillers, which is owned by Suntory.

But enough about the background, you’re not here for a history lesson.

How’s Glen Garioch’s Founder’s Reserve? This 48% abv spirit was made to celebrate the 200 year anniversary. Matured in bourbon and sherry casks.

Tasting Notes

  • Nose: Very subtle scents, took me a minute to pick them out. There’s some vanilla, caramel and a bit of apple or some other kind of fresh fruit on the nose.
  • Palate: It packs a punch, owing to the 48% abv, but you get a creaminess and vanilla coming through, a very slight hint of apple but not sweet at all.
  • Finish: Medium finish, soft, vanilla, dries out

I remember linking up this tasting note for Glen Garioch 15yo (not what this tasting note is about, but same distiller) from a while back… different strokes for different folks. 🙂

A tasty dram, a nice high ABV that still has subtle flavors. It really opens up with water, which I needed because of its higher ABV, and the vanilla and caramels shine.

White Collar: Glen Garioch 1958

Glen Garioch 1958

White Collar is a new crime drama on the USA Network and in the second episode, Glen Garioch makes an appearance as the team selects a 12-bottle case of Glen Garioch 1958 for a party they’re throwing to lure in a criminal known as “The Ghost.”

I always find it fun to identify scotches in television shows (a vintage Macallan recently made an appearance on Entourage!), it’s an opportunity to see my love on TV and learn how to pronounce the harder to say names (though Garoich and Macallan are hardly difficult to pronounce… probably why Bunnahabhain won’t be appearing anytime soon!).

Incidentally, the 1958 is the oldest Glen Gariouch. It’s a 46-year old Highland single malt and only 328 bottles were made available, 43 in the US. Retail price puts the 1958 at a few thousand dollars a bottle so there’s a bit of an inconsistency in the show (they have $5,000 for the party), plus that also means they almost half of the available US bottles!

World's Most Expensive Whiskies

Macallan 1926 Costs $38000 a BottleIn mid-2006, Forbes listed the world’s most expensive whiskies with the top bottle netting $38,000. That’s right, a single bottle of the stuff at the top of the list costs more than most of the cars on the road today. Which was it? It was The Macallan Fine and Rare Collection, 1926, 60 Years Old… a single malt of the highest order took the top spot and it’s not actually possible to buy it anymore.

Here’s what Forbes had to say:

The oldest and most sought-after of Macallan’s revolutionary Fine & Rare Collection is now sold out. It is still possible to taste this totally unique Scotch whisky at the Old Homestead Steakhouse in the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J. However, it sells for a nosebleed-inducing $3,300 per dram, so you had better have had a good run at the craps table.

To clarify, the list was created to capture the most expensive of each type, so you’ll see clearly “inexpensive” Jack Daniels Single Barrel Whiskey listed because it’s the most expensive Tennessee whiskey. Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old is the most expensive rye whiskey and Suntory Yamazaki 18 is the most expensive Japanese whiskey. Anyway, here’s the rest of the list:

  1. The Macallan Fine & Rare Collection, 1939, 40 Years Old: $10,125
  2. Chivas Regal Royal Salute, 50 Year Old: $10,000
  3. Glen Garioch, 1958, 46 Year Old: $2,600
  4. Bruichladdich 40 Year Old: $2,500
  5. Glenfiddich 40 Year Old: $2,500
  6. Springbank 32 Year Old: $750
  7. Auchentoshan 1973 32 Year Old: $700
  8. Evan Williams 23 Year Old Bourbon: $350
  9. Midleton Very Rare: $139
  10. Suntory Yamazaki 18 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey: $110
  11. Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old: $55
  12. Johnny Walker Green Label: $50
  13. Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey: $50
  14. Jack Daniels Single Barrel Whiskey: $42

Glen Garioch – Fabric Conditioner & Leather Upholstery

One of the things you’ll learn about Scotch is that two people can describe one dram in two completely different ways. However, would you ever have considered that the Glen Garoich 15 year, which retails for ~$45 a 750ml, is a “pungent, intense mix of fresh ginger, fabric conditioner and leather car upholstery?”

Is that good or bad? 🙂

snobfail

As seen on Dubber & Clutch.