@TheGlenturretWhisky’s Grace Gow!
Distilled in 2007, this cask strength expression is a 12YO Distillery Exclusive, single malt whisky.
Now, let’s get stuck in!
APPEARANCE: warm and rich, honey amber.
NOSE: an intriguing blend of ethanols and sugars. Initially, the nose oozes sweet aromas; Tahitian vanilla, honey, demerara, sultanas, a slice of Soreen malt loaf (with a generous layer of salted butter), butterscotch and toffee… And suddenly, I’ve taken the notion for a warm, Sticky Toffee Pudding 🤤. The phenols gradually make their presence known, as I get a waft of Cherry Blossom (not the flowers😉), and soldering flux.
PALATE: a comforting embrace in a glass, at 61.3% this dram will certainly “put a heat in you”, perfect for a dreich day! Oily mouthfeel accompanied by a welcomed calefacient tingle (I’ll say it again, szechuan peppercorns). A rather complex palate which tangibly reflects many of the notes on the nose; brûléed sugars, dried fruits, an unexpected salinity, pleasant level of smoke, malt, the bitterness of treacle, and a mechanical curiosity. I’m transported to my brother’s workshop, where I’m eating a box of Sun-Maid raisins, while observing his workmanship (most recently, he’d be found rebuilding and replacing his BMW differential). The finish is prolonged, as the sensation subtly lingers with a bitter sweetness, and that intriguing workshop anomaly.
Could it be, by design, that the presence of a long lingering finish is a compliment to the lasting testimony of Grace Gow’s persona…, or might it be the spirit?
Sláinte Mhath, all. 🥃
Maid of the Malt 