Glen Keith Batch 3 (TBWC)

This Glen Keith was bottled by That Boutique-y Whisky Company, bottled at 47.8%, one of 61 bottles. Glen Keith is a Speyside single malt from Chivas Brothers, light and sweet in style. It was mothballed in 1999 and revived by Pernod Ricard in 2013 after a full refit.

Made on Balloch Hill water and condensed in shell and tube condensers, for the light, fruity make Glen Keith is known for. Maturation came in ex-Bourbon wood, the oak quiet behind the light spirit. With no age statement, the oak has given vanillin as vanilla and oak lactones as coconut over the light, fruity spirit. Active wood frames the fruit without overwhelming the light Speyside spirit. Balloch Hill water and the tall stills give the light Glen Keith make. It ran triple distillation from the start, switching to double distillation by the 1980s. The cool Speyside air gives a slow, even maturation in the Glen Keith warehouses.

At a natural 47.8% it is full and fruity. Pear, melon and a light honey, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A baked apple and a gentle spice lift it. A fresh finish ends on apple and a soft oak. This is a Speyside single malt of real lightness.