Wednesday 6 November 2013

Glengoyne answers some questions about its whisky

Thank you very much to Glengoyne for answering the following questions about its whisky, and the 35 year old expression. (reviewed here



1.     Glengoyne appears to take great pride in its slow distillation. Can you please explain the result of this slow distillation? 

WE DISTIL SLOWER THAN ANY OTHER DISTILLERY AT 5 LITRES PER MINUTE. ANY FASTER OR SLOWER AND IT WOULD NOT BE GLENGOYNE, NOR RECOGNISED BY PREVIOUS DISTILLERY MANAGERS GOING RIGHT BACK TO OUR LEGAL ORIGINS IN 1833. 

2.     Does this give Glengoyne whisky a particular character? 

SLOW DISTILLATION PROVIDES MAXIMUM COPPER CONTACT, ACCENTUATES ESTERS AND ALDEHYDES CREATING A LIGHTER, COMPLEX, SMOOTH AND FRUITY SPIRIT TRADITIONAL TO GLENGOYNE. 

3.     Combined with air drying barley (instead of using peat), what signature style does this create in Glengoyne whisky? 

SEE PREVIOUS, GLENGOYNE IS KNOWN FOR ITS WONDERFUL FRUITY APPLE, SHERRY AND SPICE AND NO PEAT SMOKE INFLUENCE.

4.     How do you prepare oak casks before you use them to mature spirit? Why does this take six years? 

PLEASE NOTE, WE HAVE A VERY STRICT WOOD POLICY INHERITED FROM MACALLAN. ONLY 5% OF ALL SCOTCH WHISKY IS MATURED IN SHERRY CASKS, 95% IN BOURBON. THE REASON BEING, RARITY OF SHERRY CASKS AND COST, NORMALLY x10 MORE EXPENSIVE THAN BOURBON. WE PREDOMINANTLY USE BOTH EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN OAK SHERRY CASKS FOR GLENGOYNE. THE OAK TREES ARE FELLED IN GALICIA IN NORTHERN SPAIN HAVING GROWN THERE FOR OVER 100 YEARS. THE WOOD IS THEN TRANSPORTED TO JEREZ IN SOUTHERN SPAIN TO DRY FOR 2 YEARS IN THE NATURAL SUNSHINE. OUR CASKS ARE THEN COOPERED BY TEVASA COOPERAGE AND THEN THE CASKS ARE LOANED TO THE BEST LOCAL SHERRY BODEGAS TO HAVE THE SPECIFIC SHERRY (OLOROSO OR FINO) MATURED IN THEM FOR A SPECIFIC PERIOD UP TO 4 YEARS AGAIN DETERMINED BY US IE. EVERYTHING IS ULTIMATELY WITH GLENGOYNE WHISKY MATURATION IN MIND. AFTER A MAXIMUM OF 6 YEARS THE CASKS ARE EMPTIED, SHIPPED TO GLENGOYNE DISTILLERY AND FILLED WITH OUR NEW SPIRIT TO SIT IN OUR TRADITIONAL DUNNAGE WAREHOUSES FOR UP TO 50 YEARS. 

5.     3. Did Glengoyne use a particular type of cask for the 35 year old? 

35 YEARS OLD IS NOT A SINGLE CASK. IT IS A MIX OF A NUMBER OF TOP NOTCH CASKS WITH A HIGH FIRST FILL SHERRY INFLUENCE.

6.     The packaging for the Glengoyne 35 year old is luxurious - the crystal decanter engraved with gold inlay holds the spirit, which sits in a solid oak box that has a leather interior. In addition to the aroma and taste (which I have had the opportunity to enjoy), what experience do you hope people will get from the Glengoyne 35 Year Old? 

THE GLENGOYNE 35 IS AN ULTRA LUXURY CONSUMER EXPERIENCE FROM THE WHISKY RIGHT THROUGH TO THE PACKAGING. THE PACKAGING IS THERE TO FRAME A MASTERPIECE AND WE AIM TO REINFORCE OUR CORE VALUES OF TIME, CARE, QUALITY, ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND HAND CRAFT BY USING THE BEST NATURAL OAK WOOD BOX, TOP QUALITY LEATHER, BESPOKE HAND BLOWN, INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED CRYSTAL DECANTERS, GOLD INLAY ETC.

7.     How does Glengoyne determine when a whisky is ready to be bottled? Do you follow any processes? 

WE VERY MUCH RELY ON THE EXPERTISE OF THOSE WHO ARE CLOSEST/PRODUCE OUR GLENGOYNE WHISKY. WE HAVE A VERY STRICT QUALITY CONTROL POLICY AND TASTING PANEL.

8.     Do you have anything else you would like to add about Glengoyne or any of your expressions? 


PLEASE SEE WWW.GLENGOYNE.COM AND OUR BRAND STORY.

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