Glen Spey 11 Years Old 2010 Cask #804789 & 804790 (Signatory)

Chosen by Signatory Vintage, the Edinburgh house that now bottles at Edradour above Pitlochry, this an 11 year old Glen Spey, distilled in 2010, from cask 804789 & 804790, at 46%. Glen Spey is a Speyside single malt, long a quiet backbone of the J and B blend. It was bottled as a single malt in Diageo's Flora and Fauna range in 2001, one of its rare official outings.

It was run slowly off the four copper stills, building a light, fragrant spirit with a thread of nuttiness. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin lending vanilla under the light fruit. Through integration the spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend a riper orchard fruit over the nutty malt. Built for the blender's art, the light make ages with quiet grace as a single malt. Long ageing turns the green, herbal edge towards orchard fruit, honey and a gentle spice. Active wood frames the fruit without ever crowding the delicate Speyside spirit.

At an approachable 46% it is fresh and clean. Pear, cereal and a green, grassy lift, with a soft vanilla from the oak. A green apple and a gentle spice lift the middle. Green apple, grass and a soft oak see it out. This is a grassy Speyside malt of real delicacy.