Glen Garioch whiskies

History

The distillery was founded at the end of the 18th century and is one of those claiming the title of oldest in Scotland. During the 19th century and much of the 20th it worked for blends and had several owners, including big Scottish groups. In the 1970s it passed to Morrison Bowmore, which brought it into its group alongside Bowmore and Auchentoshan, and which in time ended up in Suntory’s hands. For years Glen Garioch produced lightly peated whisky, but in the mid-1990s it gave up peat. After a period of closure, the distillery started up again and the malt range was renewed with a more modern presentation.

House style

Glen Garioch’s style is robust and full-bodied, very much the Highlands of old: cereal, butter, vanilla, ripe fruit, spice and a faint floral touch. The high strength and lack of chill filtration give it an unctuous texture. It no longer uses peat, although a very gentle smoke appears in some old editions. It is a whisky that benefits from a few drops of water.

Where to start

Glen Garioch 12 Year Old is the benchmark expression: it is bottled at high strength, without chill filtration, and offers a lot of flavour for its age. You’ll like it if you’re after full-bodied Highland malts with character, far from light styles. Try it neat first and then with a few drops of water to see how the fruit opens up.

• Glen Garioch 12 Year OldSingle malt · 48% ABV