Glengoyne 21 Years Old

Glengoyne 21 Years Old (43%, OB, 2020)

What they say

Christmas cake, honey and rich fruit – with a long cinnamon finish. Perfect after dinner, or frankly, anytime. We distil slower than anyone else in Scotland. Then we mature exclusively in hand-selected sherry casks, for twenty one character-building years.

Official tasting notes

Colour Deep Copper, meandering legs
Nose Red apples, toffee, sherry, spicy strudel.
Palate Lots of Sherry, honey, oak with a developing aromatic sensation. Ends with a heavenly cinnamon nip.
Finish Long, sherry, spicy, warm and dry

What I say

Another sampling of Glengoyne’s 21 Year Old expression, I forget the occasion (possibly the launch of Teapot Dram 007?) but it has been a few years since I last took notes. Released in this incarnation in 2016 I’m unsure how many batches may have been released? But still it is always a pleasure to sample, well-aged, well-sherried and affordable core whisky at this age.

Details

ABV 43%
Age 21 Years Old
Bottler Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd.
Bottling Official
Cask Sherry
Category Single Malt Whisky
Cost £130
Origin Glengoyne distillery
Outturn Undisclosed
Region Highlands
Released 2020
Vintage Undisclosed

My tasting notes

Appearance Old Amontillado (14/20), medium tears and thick legs.
Nose Massively fruity, raisins, apples, brambles, red berries, strawberry cupcakes or trifle, soft oak
Taste Chocolate initially dark and slightly fruity, then dried fruits, raisin, plums, cocoa powder, malty, slightly chewy molasses, plum duff pudding.
Finish Long, malty, cocoa-dusted raisins and honeyed nuts.
Overall To paraphrase our last review of this expression “Possibly one of the best value-for-money 21 year old official bottlings available.”. Yes, still packed full of 1st fill ex-Sherry cask influenced and well-aged to perfection.

Score 89/100

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Published by

Barry Bradford

About me? I am a Whisky Educator, Travel-Tourist and Blogger. I blog tasting notes about (mostly Scotch) beer and whisky at The Whiskyphiles. I keep progress of my travels via the Alfred Barnard Society. Based in Livingston, Scotland I do most of my dramming at the University of Edinburgh Water of Life Society and Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

Categories: Glengoyne, Highland

Tags: 21 Years Old, 43%, 89 points, £130, Glengoyne, OB, Sherry Cask

2 responses to “Glengoyne 21 Years Old”

bifter

July 14, 2021 at 11:44 am

I finished off a bottle not too long ago. I got it at a really good price (£80/90) but it seems it’s normally around £140/150 these days which isn’t amazing value in my book, if I’m honest (AnCnoc 24 is available at around £120 for example or Glenfarclas 25 for £125). A lovely dram but, perhaps as I was trying to stretch mine too long, it oxidised a little towards the end producing some sulphur notes.

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1. Barry Bradford
  
  July 14, 2021 at 11:59 am
  
  Thanks for the comments Bifter. This is still currently available at Master of Malt for a shade under £130, interestingly it is listed on Glengoyne’s site at £170! Perhaps a sign of things to come. I agree it is very hard to beat Glenfarclas when it come to value for money and I would definitely put their 25 in the same category here – I guess if the official RRP hikes this up then Glenfarclas wins. I haven’t tried the anCnoc 24 so thanks for the recommendation I’ll need to look this out and try it sometime. Regards oxidation/sulphur perhaps one drawback from these coming in at only 43% – they are all robust enough to be delivered at a higher ABV though that would impact upon their pricing also. A shame as these are the kind of bottles I’d like to nurture and enjoy for as long as possible.
  
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