Glengoyne SMWS 123.10 “Sweet treats on deck”

Thanks to /u/twiddleDD for this sample.

Here we are. The finale of my series that I called “Scotch Malts, Wife’s Selection”, in which my wife went through my backlog of SMWS (Scotch Malt Whisky Society) samples that I hadn’t reviewed yet, poured them blind, and then I reviewed them blind.

It’s in past tense because this is the last one, you see.

Oh, and because I kinda knew what to look for, since I wrote them all down, and I know I haven’t had a Glengoyne yet, so I know which one it is.

Glengoyne SMWS 123.10 “Sweet treats on deck” is the last one on the docket. I enjoy Glengoyne. I can frankly say I like their OBs, I like what they do, and I’ve enjoyed some IBs. So there’s my bias. They are one of my fave Highlands, which given that I’m not the biggest Highland fan, says something. Maybe. Perhaps it means nothing. That’s up to you.

Whatever, it’s a first fill, young cask strength Glengoyne. I’m excited. Let’s see how it tastes, shall we?

Price: Sold out

Region: Highland

Date Distilled: 04.05.2005

Age: 9 years

Cask Type: First fill ex-bourbon barrel

Outturn: 238

Abv: 57.6%

Colour: 5Y 8/8

Nose: Pineapple cake, cream, oak, cereal, lemon candy

Initial nose has that desiccated, dry packaged cake nose that I love. And avoid because, well, dia-bee-tus.

Interesting, young cereal, lemon candy notes. Nothing here beyond the initial cake that’s wowing me, however they don’t all have to be nose bombs.

Taste: Sprite, orange juice, caramel, hot, pineapple

Very young tasting. Tons of effervescent aspects, some fruit, and really hot. It’s super sweet. And young. Too young. Needs to go back in the cask.

Now. Put this back in the cask. Buy up the rest of it, take what you can from my love handles and liver, squeeze it back, and put it in the cask again. And then re-release it for a special screening of Seven.

Cause then it’d line up.

Finish: Spritey, grassy, hot, mint, mango, cereal, apple pie

So hot. Takes a long, long time to pull out some fruit aspects. Is it worth it? Debateable. Took a lot of water, time, anger, perhaps some self-hatred, and even more to finally get there.

And it’s still hot.

Conclusion: Was this aged in ex-hot sauce casks? If so, which ones? Did they once house T.N.T.? It’s Dynamite, and it’s not winning this fight. Or at least my tongue isn’t.

This is too young, too hot, too much, and painful. An okay nose followed by a hot taste and a hot finish that has some nice aspects. It’s not good, and should be skipped. Total miss.

That all said, the nose was still okay. So I can’t drop the score to the low, low levels. And the tiny aspects of pie at the end are nice as well.

That all said, skip this bottle. Across a lake, if possible.

66/100

Guess: Seriously, it’s the last one, this is the Glengoyne. Sadly.

Actually: Glengoyne SMWS 123.10 “Sweet treats on deck”

Scotch review #833, Highland review #134, Whisky Network review #1344