Glen Keith 26 Years Old 1993 (Sansibar)

A Glen Keith of a 26 year old chosen by the bottler Sansibar, distilled in 1993, bottled at 51.4%, one of 121 bottles. Glen Keith is a Speyside single malt from Chivas Brothers, light and sweet in style. It ran triple distillation from the start, switching to double distillation by the 1980s.

The spirit was drawn off the stills for a clean, fruity Speyside spirit, building a light, fruity character of green apple and pear. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, oak lactones lending vanilla and a little coconut. In the oxidative, evaporative years concentration brings tropical fruit, honey and a waxy depth over the apple. The light, fruity spirit shows the cask clearly, vanilla and fruit to the fore. Active wood frames the fruit without overwhelming the light Speyside spirit. A gentle maturation suits the light make, the orchard fruit growing richer with time. It was the first new distillery to open in Speyside since the great whisky crash of 1898.

Bottled at a cask strength 51.4%, it is rich. Baked apple, citrus and a creamy vanilla, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A soft fruit and a gentle oak give it depth. The finish runs light, fruity and clean. This is the light, fresh malt of Keith.