Glen Grant 1954 / Gordon & Macphail

Originally, Gordon & Macphail released this Glen Grant 1954 in 2014. It matured for no less than 59 years. It is a single sherry butt that yielded 610 bottles. On the 4th September 2017 Gordon & Macphail announced the exclusive Glen Grant Collection, containing 6 Glen Grant vintages from 1950 through 1955. This is the fifth bottle in that bespoke collection. Only 75 of these oak treasure chests were created. I received the sample through G&M.

This nose is simply not normal. All sorts of fruit with raisins in the lead, followed by strawberry and raspberry, cantaloupe melon, fermented apple juice and chestnut. Jute, camphor, an old leather sofa, cigar box… what a complexity. What a depth!

Great body. Mouth coating. And then it happens… an explosion of dark fruit with both dried dades and fresh figs, black tea, but also Columbian coffee, origin chocolate with a cocoa level of 90% or more that has nothing sweet left to offer, some menthol and chewing tobacco… Sugared peel of oranges, stewed strawberries… and some oak. Yes, a touch of tannins, but it is an enrichment. This is… beyond belief!

The finish is medium long with some earthy notes and some more black chocolate.

Outrageously good! This is a trophy malt that won a silver medal from the Malt Maniacs, gold at the International Spirits Challenge in 2017 and double gold at the San Fransisco World Spirits Competition in 2017. No surprise there, if you’ve tasted this. Still around for 2.300 EUR. And it has to stop now… or my personal top 10 will soon be dominated by old Glen Grant.

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