Glen Keith 24 Years Old 1993 Cask #97138 (G&M)

This Glen Keith was bottled by the Elgin house Gordon and MacPhail, a 24 year old, distilled in 1993, from cask 97138, bottled at 52.5%, one of 283 bottles. Glen Keith is a clean, fruity Speyside malt from the town of Keith in Moray. It ran triple distillation from the start, switching to double distillation by the 1980s.

The spirit was run through the tall stills on Balloch Hill water for a light make, for a clean make of orchard fruit and a soft honey. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the fresh, fruity character to the fore. At this evaporative stage ellagitannins lend a drying structure while oxidation builds a richer, tropical fruit. The light, fruity spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and fruit to the fore. It was the first distillery in Scotland to use gas fired direct heating. Its make went largely into the Chivas Regal, Passport and 100 Pipers blends.

At a natural 52.5% it is full and fruity. A clean, fruity sweetness, with a soft vanilla from the oak. It is fresh and fruity, the light spirit shining through. The finish runs light, fruity and clean. This is Glen Keith's clean, fruity Speyside style.