Glen Spey 11 Years Old 2011 Cask #802464+802467+802469 (Signatory)

Signatory Vintage bottled this Glen Spey, an 11 year old, distilled in 2011, from cask 802464+802467+802469, at 46%. Glen Spey is a Speyside single malt, long a quiet backbone of the J and B blend. It was founded in 1878 by the grain merchant James Stuart, who added stills to an old oatmeal mill. It passed to the London gin house W and A Gilbey in 1887, the first English firm to own a Scottish distillery. Its stills were doubled from two to four in the 1970 expansion, the make still light and grassy.

Run slowly off the four copper stills, for a delicate make of fresh grass and orchard fruit. 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. A light oiliness carries a waxy thread through the long, slow maturation. Active wood frames the fruit without ever crowding the delicate Speyside spirit.

Reduced to 46%, it is mellow and delicate. Green apple, hay and a soft cereal, lifted by a soft oak. A light orchard fruit and a soft oak give it shape. The finish is rounded, nutty and clean. This is a light, grassy Speyside single malt.