Glen Keith 22 Years Old 1997 Cask #72589+72590 (Signatory)

From the Pitlochry bottler Signatory Vintage, a 22 year old Glen Keith, distilled in 1997, from cask 72589+72590, bottled at 55.3%, one of 522 bottles. Glen Keith is a modern Speyside malt on Balloch Hill water, built in the 1950s. Its make went largely into the Chivas Regal, Passport and 100 Pipers blends.

Worked through the tall stills for a light, sweet make, for a clean make of orchard fruit and a soft honey. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin lending vanilla under the apple. Through the evaporative decades the spirit concentrates, esters folding into mango, beeswax and a soft honey. Balloch Hill water and the tall stills give the light Glen Keith make. Long ageing turns the fresh apple towards tropical fruit, honey and a soft spice. The light, fruity spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and fruit to the fore. The tall, narrowing stills give a light spirit that takes the cask well.

At a hearty 55.3% it carries real weight. Baked apple, citrus and a creamy vanilla, 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 Speyside single malt of real lightness.