Girvan 20 Years Old 1993 The Clan Denny (56.7%, Douglas Hamilton, Refill Barrel #10439, 2014)

• Single grain scotch whisky
• 56.7% ABV, £88.25 for 70cl
• Score: 86/100

What they say:

The Clan Denny range of single grain whiskies are always bottled at natural cask strength by Douglas Laing & Co Ltd.

Bottled from one refill barrel -Ref. DH10439

Official tasting notes:

Opens sweetly on the nose, superbly vanilla’d, carrying a creamy custard character with toffee. Still sweet on the palate, now with spicy honey & butterscotch, running to more vanilla. The finish is very moreish, replicating the nose and palate, now with candied orange. (J)

What I say:

Our second dram during our visit to the Douglas Laing & Co Ltd. HQ was this 20 year old Girvan single grain from the Clan Denny range

Colour:

Amber gold

Nose:

Toffee, vanilla fudge, cereal, malt and oak wood

Taste:

Sweet toffee and fudge, rum and raisin ice cream with wafers, golden syrup and candied peel

Finish:

Medium/long sweet toffee oak

Overall:

A delicious single grain, full of ex-bourbon cask characteristics and old enough to have eroded the ‘chemical / rubbing alcohol’ nature of the grain spirit away. Easily as good as many single malt whiskies we have sampled. There are some deep and dark oak wood characteristics in here which we know and love!