Glen Keith 30 Years Old 1994 (East Village Whisky Company) (50.2%)

This Glen Keith was bottled by the East Village Whisky Company, a 30 year old, distilled in 1994, bottled at 50.2%, one of 42 bottles. Glen Keith is a Speyside single malt made behind Strathisla, mostly for the Chivas blends. It was mothballed in 1999 and revived by Pernod Ricard in 2013 after a full refit.

Run through the tall stills on Balloch Hill water for a light make, for a light, elegant spirit with a soft malt. It rested in ex-Bourbon oak, oak lactones lending vanilla and a little coconut. Ethereal and fragile, decades draw the light malt to a honeyed, waxy delicacy of sotolon, tropical fruit and old oak. Balloch Hill water and the tall stills give the light Glen Keith make. Much of the Glen Keith make went to the blenders, a little kept as single malt. Its make went largely into the Chivas Regal, Passport and 100 Pipers blends. It was Seagram's experimental plant, and still houses the Chivas Brothers lab.

At a natural 50.2% it is full and fruity. A light, orchard fruit and citrus, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The texture is light and clean, the fruit lifted by vanilla. A fresh finish ends on apple and a soft oak. This is a clean, fruity Speyside single malt.