Glen Keith Distillery has been motballed and didn’t distill since 1999. Currently it is used as a filling store and a technical centre for quality control. For us whisky lovers it was sad that this Speyside distillery had to close. I personally dig Glen Keith’s fruity aromas, these whiskies often came from really expressive Bourbon wood that fitted the spirit very well. Some old examples from the 1960ies and 70ies are legendary among connoisseurs.
Nowadays there is good news again: In April 2013 Pernod Ricard wants to start distillation there again due to a growing demand for whisky in emerging markets. Glen Keith will have a capacity of 6 million litres p.a., contributing a 10-15% rise in the company’s complete amount of malt spirit. After reopening Allt a’Bhainne (2005) and Braeval (2008), Glen Keith is the third distillery to be reopened by Chivas Brothers, and their twelth one in action now, altogether. Let’s hope for more good stuff from there. Tonight, I am trying an 18 y.o. released in 2012:
Glen Keith 18 y.o. The Maltman, Bourbon Cask, 51,5%
Nose: It starts grainy and cereal-like with a green malty base. There are notes of hay, straw, dried flowers, patchouli, honey, licorice, ginger, smoke and sawdusty white oak. In the background pineapple, apples and green grapes complete this olfactory profile.
Palate: Somewhat white wine-like (grapes) and lighter in style. The lead notes are malt, licorice, oak, hay and tropical fruit.
Finish: Resemblance of the palate, finishing on the fruity notes. Good but seemingly younger than 18.
Comment: This is a good and very basic malt. It tastes a bit younger than 18. A classic Speyside dram.
Score: 84