Tasting: Glen Grant 25 Year Old 1985, Old & Rare at The Whisky Barrel – Scotch Whisky News
We’re always on the look out for new and exciting scotch whiskey. This is the great benefit of working so closely with a number of superb independent whiskey bottling companies. They have stock of a great variety, vintage, age and style of whiskies. We love finding out what new expressions are on their way to bottling and then soon to hit out online store. But sometimes, the ‘back catalogue’ offers a gem. This Glen Grant 25 year old 1985 Old & Rare is just one such example. Bottled in 2011 – 6 years ago! – we have been able get hold of some new stock of this fine scotch.
Indie Glen Grant
Hunter Laing’s Old & Rare scotch label is reserved for the very best. Glen Grant Distillery is a powerhouse of whisky production. So Hunter Laing having the chance to develop a single cask to their own spec is not to be overlooked. Owned by the Chivas Brothers and one of the largest distilleries in Scotland by production output, a huge volume of Glen Grant whiskey makes its way into blends. Some makes it as single malt official distillery bottlings – The 18 Year Old Rare Edition was lauded very recently in The Whisky Bible 2017. But for us, the most exciting Glen Grant scotch comes from indie bottling companies like Hunter Laing & Co. Namely, the likes of this Glen Grant 25 year old 1985 Old & Rare. This expression in particular is a chance to have un-intruded cask strength, un-chillfiltered, single cask Glen Grant whiskey.
With a sherry twist…
Distilled in October 1985 it was matured primarily in a refill hogshead. But, as is the advantage of this cask being in the hands of Hunter Laing, the whiskey was finished for a time in a single Sherry Butt. This is a Glen Grant different to the norm. Bottled in June 2011, just 206 bottles were produced. This is a well-aged, rare and sherried Glen Grant scotch. Again, this is where the like of Indie bottling companies like Hunter Laing & Co. because they have the freedom to cask and re-cask whiskey as they desire when it is just right. Consequently, it’s a chance to explore Glen Grant whisky beyond the official distillery releases.
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