Glen Keith 29 Years Old 1992 (Phil & Simon Thompson)

The bottler Phil and Simon Thompson bottled this Glen Keith, a 29 year old, distilled in 1992, bottled at 46.2%, one of 437 bottles. Glen Keith is a Speyside single malt made behind Strathisla, mostly for the Chivas blends. Its water is drawn from the Balloch Hill spring above Keith.

The spirit was run through the tall stills on Balloch Hill water for a light make, building a light, fruity character of green apple and pear. It was matured in refill ex-Bourbon oak, a soft vanilla beneath the fruit. Through the evaporative decades the spirit concentrates, esters folding into mango, beeswax and a soft honey. Much of the Glen Keith make went to the blenders, a little kept as single malt. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and coconut over the fruit. It was mothballed in 1999 and revived by Pernod Ricard in 2013 after a full refit. It was built in 1957 by Seagram on the site of a meal mill, directly behind Strathisla.

At 46.2% it is smooth and fruity. Pear, melon and a light honey, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is fresh and fruity, the light spirit shining through. The finish is long, fruity and clean. This is a clean, fruity Speyside single malt.