Glen Elgin 18 Year Old 1995 A.D. Rattray

This bottle of Glen elgin was hiding between other beauties on the table of Jurgen’s Whiskyhuis at the recent Global Spirits Expo in Antwerp. I immediately took a sample to try it in this little line-up of mine. It matured for 18 years on a bourbon cask and was bottled at cask strength in 2014 by A.D. Rattray.

The nose is very herbal and bittersweet. I am reminded of gooseberries and ferns, sprinkled with vanilla. But it works beautifully. This nose is very nice and inviting. Slowly but surely some banana emerges as does some semolina.

It is surprisingly soft on the palate and you would not guess the ABV. It is now more sweet than bitter, although it goes up and down. Very spicy now, almost piquant. The wood becomes loud. The fruitiness suffers a bit under the powerful spices and cannot reveal itself fully, I am afraid. Caramel and honey try to keep things sweet, but it is slowly but unavoidably turning very herbal and bitter. Pity.

While the finish is very long, warm and spicy, it is just too bitter to my taste tob e really pleasing.

A bit of a fickle Glen Elgin with a grand nose, fair palate, but too bitter finish.

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