Rare Auld Grain Girvan 12 year old 53.8% - Duncan Taylor
The Rare Auld Grain Collection from Duncan Taylor is an outstanding range of single grain whiskies from across the length and breadth of Scotland. Thankfully the Duncan Taylor reserves contain many casks from Scotland's finest grain distilleries.
Bottled from single casks at cask strength, these unique whiskies are testament to the diversity and influence of individual casks, offering unrepeatable expressions from both renowned and lesser known distilleries. Neither chill filtered nor artificially coloured, only the finest whiskies are selected for inclusion in the Rare Auld Grain Collection ensuring each release delivers the multidimensional character of the distillery, true to our ethos:
“Whisky Without Compromise”
This Girvan was distilled in April 2009 in cask #597000081, before being bottled in August 2021. This bottle is the last of 477 bottles produced.
Appearance: Pale gold, forms a thick line which quickly beads before falling as thin, slow legs.
Nose: Light, pear drops, honey-roasted almonds and vanilla before cola cubes make an appearance with time in the glass.
Palate: Sweet and citrus, marzipan, sharp apple with a struck match note which becomes more evident with a drop of water.
Finish: More struck match combining with caramel sweetness, before leaving with a hint of white pepper.
Summary: I must admit I often struggle with grain whiskies, including the older bottlings, as I tend to find that ‘pear drop’ note is dialled all the way up to nail varnish remover. This one is different though, those notes being softer and a lot more enjoyable as a result.
First thing to say is I absolutely love the nose with this one, the combination of pear drops and cola cubes is a real delight and brings back thoughts of old-fashioned sweet shops.
There’s also a lot to like about the palate too, especially taken neat, with an abundance of sweet, citrus and marzipan notes. The mistake I made was adding a little water, which really brought out the note of struck matches. Normally I quite enjoy a little sulphur in there, especially in whiskies with robust flavour profiles, but against a light, sweet backdrop it just stood out a little too much for me.
However, it was noticeable that only a few people on the tasting session picked up this struck match note and, as I’m acutely aware my palate tends to be very sensitive to certain compounds, I feel like I’m just unlucky this time around. Priced at £55, I think this will be pretty popular and not just with those who already appreciate grain whiskies.
If you would like to know more about Duncan Taylor and their whiskies, follow the link to the company website
This sample was part of a 5 dram tasting selection from the current Duncan Taylor range as part of a #TweetTasting session organised by @TheWhiskyWire and Duncan Taylor.
Transparency: No goods or other incentives were exchanged, offered or requested for this independent review.
