Glen Grant is a scotch whisky distillery in the Speyside region which has been operating since 1840. It used to feature heavily in the Chivas blended whiskies, but since its acquisition by Grupo Campari in 2005, has focused more heavily on its single malt offerings.

Campari reached out to the Toronto Whisky Society and asked us if we’d like to try their two LCBO-listed offerings, the 12 and 18 year old expressions. We enthusiastically agreed to try these world-wide top sellers!

Glen Grant 12

The 12 year is Glen Grant’s entry level bottling, bottled at 43% and with no info on cask types.

Nose: All sorts of apples, pears, and fresh fruit.  Vanilla, gentle spice, with the fruity component constantly asserting itself.  Malt, lemon, brown sugar, hay. Fresh orchards.  Some light notes of heather, honey and red berries.  Smells ex-bourbon cask dominant with perhaps a little bit of ex-sherry casks in the mix.

Palate: Melon, pear, malt, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, apple, clove, grapes, plums

Finish: Brown sugar, vanilla, honey, apples, Medium to short. Malt, honey, clove, butter, apple, clove, orange peel.

Overall, a very nice fruity expression with some spicy depth to it. Perfectly approachable dram for beginners, and complex enough for novices and experts to enjoy as well!

Glen Grant 18

Glen Grant’s 18 year bottling is aged in “handpicked oak casks” and bottled at 43%.

Nose: Melon, hay, malt, honey, apple, pear, floral, nutty, Apples, pears, sour grapes, vanilla, subtle oak. Similar nose to the 12, expected more oak.

Palate: Honey, vanilla, apples, caramel, icing sugar, Oak, pepper, clove, hay, pear, nutty

Finish: Brown sugar, apple skins, hay, malt, oak, pepper, clove, melon, chocolate, delicate yet lingering notes of vanilla, honey, oak, spice, and sweet cinnamon.

This certainly has more depth than the 12 year, and can’t help but think it’d be fantastic at a higher proof. A cask strength version could knock your socks off.

Overall the 18 was the unanimous favourite of the two, and while we wouldn’t necessarily call it the second finest whisky of the year like Jim Murray, we can certainly see the appeal to whisky connoisseurs as it has a lot of depth and character, and is a fantastic expression of a classic Speyside malt.