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Glengoyne 10 Year Old

Average score from 17 reviews and 55 ratings 80

Glengoyne 10 Year Old

Product details

  • Brand: Glengoyne
  • Bottler: Distillery Bottling
  • ABV: 40.0%
  • Age: 10 year old

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@OdysseusUnbound
Glengoyne 10 Year Old

I'm not sure if this is my first Glengoyne. I may have tasted the 15 Year Old awhile back but I don't think I've ever reviewed one. From what I could find online, Glengoyne straddles the Highland line and so their whisky is distilled in the Highlands but matured in the Lowlands. Does it matter? I'm not really sure.

The label states that the colour is natural and derived "from time and oak casks alone". That's good to know. As Ralfy says "the label is the contract between the producer and the customer, Malt Mates." Glengoyne 10 is rather light gold in appearance, lending credence to the claims about natural colour.

  • Nose (undiluted): raisins, dates, more sherry character than I expected from such a young malt (presumably matured in second-fill sherry casks), green apples, honey, floral vanilla
  • Palate: rather light bodied, but not unpleasantly so, toffee, raisins, apple skins, some nuttiness (almonds, perhaps?), malted barley
  • Finish: on the short side, a bit of milk chocolate, light oak spices (cinnamon and cloves), more raisins, toffee, and vanilla with a bit of malted barley character
  • Thoughts: I tend to prefer heavy, oily, funky, peat-forward whiskies but Glengoyne 10 is remarkably good despite being none of those things. The words "clean" and "crisp" come to mind. Light and floral have been descriptors I've avoided like the plague yet this one is rather pleasant. There is absolutely no sulphur, the wine cask doesn't dominate the malt, and despite being "light" it doesn't feel weak or watery. Well done, Glengoyne.

Edit: I just checked Glengoyne's website and the cask makeup is "70% hand-selected refill casks, 15% first-fill European oak sherry casks, 15% first-fill American oak sherry casks"

Very nice, affordable stuff. And perfect for the peat averse. Nicely put together review. I especially appreciated the cask selection. Thanks.

@Megawatt

Nose: rich, sherried malt. Toffee applies, fresh and dried fruit (apples and grape), licorice, vanilla cream and lemon zest. Fresh-cut wood develops with time. A wonderful aroma.

Taste: medium- to full-bodied. A brilliant arrival of juicy, fruity malt is soon overtaken by tangy sherry. Some spices but overall pretty gentle. Becomes sour at the back of the tongue.

Finish: sweet and sour fruitiness. Long-lasting.

Balance: pretty much what I was hoping for when I purchased this bottle. Rich, sherried malt, no colouring, 43% alc/vol, and a deep, satisfying aroma and flavour. The finish is perhaps overly tangy but not enough to mar the experience. A solid value and great malt overall.

@Robert99

Glengoyne is known to be the slow unpeated scotch. By that, I mean that Glengoyne never uses peat and the process used to distilled it is said to be slower than any other process used for scotch. Because of that, I was expecting a light whisky. That was not exactly the case.

On my first dram, I had some herbal notes, some charred wood and some overcooked peach pie both on the nose and the palate. There is some heavy syrup with depth but not very defined. I can past over the impression that this Glengoyne is the best part of the blend Té Bheag. The herbal notes also reminded me of Cambleton. I was forgetting to mention, that the palate is a lot more sweet than the nose.

Before my second dram, I had some Longrow CV. On the nose, I now detect the vanilla, some nail polish with a hint of banana and the sourish acid note is now more like sweat. There is also a very present white oak. The body doesn't seem as oily as before the Longrow CV. Although, if you let it stay on the tongue, you will feel the sweet film on your teeth and the peach syrup is back. Definition is now better. Maybe the oxygen helped.

I often compare the evolution from nose to finish with a story. Well, with this Glengoyne, I would say that it is hard to find where the author want to go but it is quite enjoyable. With a little brine and salt (like a Clynelish) it would be a wonderful scotch.

For the price, it is different and well worth a try.

@vrudy6

The Glengoyne distillery sits on the southern border of the Highlands region near the Lowlands. It is so close to the border that the distilling takes part on the Highland side while the barrels age across the street on the lowlands. Glengoyne is known for their no-peat philosophy, and their patience in their distilling method. They claim to distill their spirit the slowest in Scotland. Hence, unlocking the natural flavors of the malted barley as much as possible, creating a smooth, malty-rich spirit.

NOSE: Apples, caramel, malt, stewed pears, graham crackers, a bit of honey, slightly herbal.

PALATE: The taste is true to the nose. Delicate, sweet, apples, the stewed pears appear at mid-palate along with a dash of fresh barley. This is dangerously smooth. The sweetness remains. Caramel, a touch of honey, and slight herbal. The herbal notes are more dominant when sipping this outside in the hot South Florida summer. A slight bitterness appears and counters the sweetness just enough not to become overwhelming.

Glengoyne claims "nutty" notes. I only found a treacle when the bottle was first opened, but no more. And that's it. Fairly simple. To the point. No bells. No whistles. Very good nonetheless.

I wasn't expecting this to be so good after reading some of the reviews. It's Simple, but not simple enough to make it boring. At $35 bucks it's a bargain!

@Uisgebetha

A clean little malt, no peat and little smoke allows the malt to shine. The lack of peat as part of the malting/distilling at Glengoyne shows how good malt can be without this traditional Scottish source of fuel for drying malt. It also must reduce production costs a bit, or am I too cynical. No great complexities to unravel in this malt, but it's a great dram for sipping absentmindedly on a warm summer evening, and yes we get those in Northern Ireland from time to time. Nose: Vanilla, honey and almonds.
Taste: Dry malty and clean. Very appetising. Finish: Short clean dry and malty again.

@PMessinger
@MisterDigger

The only reason that I bought this one without the benefit of tasting it first was that this distillery in the only one in Scotland who never uses peat smoke. Others have special editions of unpeated, but one will never find peat in a Glengoyne.

I started out with their affordable 10 year old at about $50 US amd frankly was not expecting much. My first taste was quite a pleasant surprise and it tastes much richer than it's color would indicate. It is sweet, but not overpowering. Bourbon oak casks were obviously used in the aging process. One would not expect smoke due to their process, and it is absent. Instead, the flavors are a soft and subtle blend that should appeal to non-smokers. Compared to a Glenlivet 12 or Glenfiddich 12, this one is downright rich in taste.

Do I miss the peat smoke? Slightly. Will I buy another Glengoyne? Absolutely! I can't wait to try their 17 year old.

Yes, I have almost a grand invested in my cabinet for single malts, but I like fast answers for testing side by side. I am almost near the end of all my research since I try to keep my bottle purchases under $100 US each. Once this research is done, I just sit back and enjoy my chosen favorites, and also keep abreast of any new information. These reviews are my way of thanking all of the other reviewers for keeping my costs down and not wasting my time on crap.

Wow, you're buying a lot!

@vanPelt

Color: light gold

Nose: Light honey and floral. I may have a craving..., but the combined sweet/salty/oily reminded me of Chinese crab rangoons in the distance.

Palate: More bitter than the nose indicates. Flavors of oak and a whole green apple-- peel & seeds included. As thin as it appears.

Finish: None substantial. Near the end, the oak gives flash of vanilla, which reduces to light grassy honey. Apple peel remains on the cheeks.

Overall too bitter, thin, and simple. If I had a whole bottle, it might be a good candidate for a Rusty Nail.

@lan2424

I had a friend rant on about the 'Goyne' and thought I would try a bottle. I think its entertainment value is worth buying on its own. You get teasing from all the senses. The color is bright and a pleasent golden straw and noses a lot of candy, small toffee, and I feel loads of citrus... almost like a bit of Grand Marnier was splashed into the cask- get ready for sweet. The palate comes on bold and brings on green apple and toffee with a light oiliness and modestly dry on the tongue. The finish creates a mild tingle, ending with apple, some butterscotch and finally green grass and even more apple... yes, the apple peal returns again for an encore. I wouldn't call it a 'Thinking person's' scotch as others have said. I would call it the 'Showman's' scotch; bold, entertaining, sweetly adoring and leaves you feeling happy and glad you met... with small bits of fireworks at the beginning of the nose, palate and finish each. The sweetness was a bit more than I expected, but there's the Showman, always trying to deliver more than you expect, even if it's not quite to your taste.

@Gerrit

This malt is to me a easy drinkable whisky. It's sweet, smooth. I tasted the sherrycasks where in it matures. It is the only highland in my cabinet, but it's a good one. I certainly wil try more older aged glengoyne's

I have to agree, its a very good whisky and a decent "standard" bottling. I've also reviewed this and the 17, making my way up through the years as such! I look forward to seeing you review the other years you sample!

Yep, this is a smashing whisky :)

s

The Glengoyne 10 yr is on first whiff a honey howitzer. The nose when served neat is pure, dense, moist honey. With a bit of water and about 15 min some distinct apple and citrus notes come out. Reminds me of when my mom mixed honey and lemon for my sore throat when I was a kid. The body comes on a bit harsher than the nose leads you to expect, with bitter toffee, apples, and oak. The finish is short and sweet, with oak, honey, and prunes.

@jwise

I have heard that for a 10 year old, the Glengoyne 10yo is very good. It was based on one person's endorsement that I included this dram in my latest order from Master of Malt Drinks By The Dram (DBTB).

ABV: 40%

Nose: Lots of sweet malt, some sea air, and floral notes. Maybe a bit of nectar in there, but not really honey. Coming back to the nose, I am not getting much else.

Friend's Notes: Pears, apples, and white fruit. Honey. A bit of tart/sharpness in the back end.

Palate: Mmmm... There's the honey! Some mild pepper and salt are mixed in there as well. Mostly I am getting a nice refreshing malt flavor. I wouldn't exactly call this a watery whisky, but it doesn't have the great mouth feel like some others I have reviewed. Upon further reflection: yes, it is on the watery side.

Friend's notes: Chardonnay, or a white wine consistency.

Finish: Oh! A bit of sweet vanilla on the finish. That was unexpected! However, it fades quickly, without a lot else going on. Not a lot of spice or smoke, and even the sea air is missing. No burn.

Friend's Notes: Short finish. Very smooth. Brings back the palate very nicely.

All in all, not a bad malt. I will enjoy the remainder of my glass, and would gladly accept a refill if someone were offering. However, I don't believe I'll be spending any money on a full bottle. A little too 'malty' for me, but it is still a very drinkable dram. If in the mood for a subtle, mellow and perhaps a bit thin whisky, this would fit the bill nicely. However, if you're in the mood for show-stopping flavor, look elsewhere.

@galg

Nose: Very fresh with notes of Malt, Oak and Green apples , clean and refreshing.

Palate : Oak, Again we meet the baked apples, some butterscotch, and wee vanilla.

Finish :Nice finish, buttery, a bit of oak, and some more vanilla.

Bottom line :

A very refreshing dram, great for summer. Not very complex, but well made. a great pre-dinner whisky, in my view. A real whisky, no finishes, peating and games. straight and to the point.

@Alanjp

I'm writing this review as i begin a week of being on-call at work (meaning i can't drink, so it may sound a bit longing and desperate!

I have a tendancy to see a bottle of whisky with a name i havent tried, and upon gazing at the price i usually end up buying it. That was the case here with the Glengoyne 10 year old. Now this can lead to a bottle of enjoyment, or struggling to get through the sips. However i'm pleased to say that this was one of the successful bottle purchases!

I enjoy smooth whiskies, and this fell right in to that catergory for me. Its taste was soft and simple, there wasn't too much going on when you took a sip. It didnt batter your senses with a bundle of tastes, it kept it straightforward and gave you just enough to keep wanting more. I'd say it is a refreshing and very summer orientated malt, but like i have it can be enjoyed all year round!

It's easily available, one of the standard bottlings around, and being like that means that sometimes bottles can be overlooked. However if this was to be overlooked then it would be a big mistake in my humble opinion. It's a wonderful and simplistic introduction to the Glengoyne malts, and it's a range that i will be exploring more in the future thanks to the experience i had from this.

Nice, added to the wish list.

@galg

Nose: Very fresh with notes of Malt, Oak and Green apples , clean and refreshing.

Palate : Oak, Again we meet the baked apples, some butterscotch, and wee vanilla.

Finish :Nice finish, buttery, a bit of oak, and some more vanilla.

Bottom line :

A very refreshing dram, great for summer. Not very complex, but well made. a great pre-dinner whisky, in my view. A real whisky, no finishes, peating and games. straight and to the point.

I just bought a bottle of this and your description is really close to what I experienced. I will be posting my review in the coming days.

Cheers!

@markjedi1

This standard in-house bottling of Glengoyne is easily obtainable. It’s a supermarket whisky from the Highlands, distilled from barley completely void of peat which guarantees a delicate (rather Lowland style) whisky.

The nose is very fresh and soft, with malt and pretty sweet. I get oak, citrus, but also something salty. I even get subtle hints of butter and a tad of pure spirit. To round things up, there is also some almonds and hazelnuts present. Not earth shattering, but pleasant enough.

When rolling of the tongue, it’s lightly peppered, somewhat too oaky, but also light and clean. Fresh and sweet with cooked apples, freshly cut grass and some cinnamon.

While the finish is a little bit to punchy and spirity to my taste (meaning very oaky and drying), it does last very long.

This is your typical, easy drinkable, correctly priced entry malt.

@jdcook

This is the second of the three drams my wife and newborn daughter purchased for my first fathers day. The selling point of Glengoyne is that all their barley is malted using air from a natural fire, not a peat-fuelled fire. So no peat at all!

The nose is delicate, full of malt, unsalted popcorn and a creamy nuttiness. Very easy to sniff. Hints of toffee and maybe some apple. There's more going on that I can't quite get ahold of. Really subtle. Not enormously gripping, but I found myself sniffing for quite a while trying to nail down everything I get glimpses of.

The taste is really clean, light and refreshing. Initially notes of boiled sweets, freshly cut green grass and some almonds. This deepens with a hint of gingerbread and warm cinnamon. When I try most drams, I find myself wanting to get through the 'chewing' part of the tasting to get to the finish. With this one, I find myself savouring the freshness and the changes in my mouth quite happily for several seconds.

The finish is dry, with my lips still tingling from the cinnamon, and has a gentle bitter dark chocolate sweetness to it that melds perfectly with the returning malty taste. The finish is fairly gentle, but lasts quite long.

This keeps me interested from start to finish. It doesn't rock my socks off, but I find myself sniffing several times every sip, and moving it around my mouth to experience the changes in my mouth before enjoying the finish. Really subtle and intriguing- definitely a thinking persons drinking malt...

Excellent review JDCook! I have been interested in this single malt for sometime, and had my first taste at a local pub, with a buddy of mine. It is one pleasant surprise, this one! It really impressed me and I immediately went and purchased a bottle. As stated on the Glengoyne website, this is really a malt to take your time with and sip slowly. Your description of a thinking man's malt is very appropriate. I also believe this is non chill filtered and has no added colour? I am trying to verify that on the website. I seem to prefer the single malts at about 10 or 12 years. The GlenDronach 12 year is also one of my favourites - actually my favourite at the moment - and I found the Glengoyne just about as pleasing. My buddy stated simply that "this really tastes like whisky!" I guess we all have our own ideas of what whisky should tasted like, but for me this one does it like few others. Later in the week, I am going to open my first bottle, and do a taste at home. Something to really look forward to at the end of the week! Cheers, Carl

@Carl - I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the home tasting!

@AboutChoice - This is (in my experience) a lovely little gentle thought-provoking dram. Not enormously unique, but just unique enough to keep you on your toes! Well worth a look... :)

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