Glen Spey 27 Years Old 1997 Joint Bottling with The Whisky Agency (East Village Whisky Company)

A Glen Spey of a 27 year old chosen by East Village Whisky Company, distilled in 1997, at 50.1%, one of the festival bottlings. Glen Spey is a Speyside single malt, long a quiet backbone of the J and B blend. Its water is the Doonie Burn, a source it shares with its Rothes neighbours.

The spirit was distilled in tall onion shaped stills, the purifiers paring it back to a light, grassy core. An ex-Bourbon barrel shaped it, vanillin lending vanilla under the light fruit. In the oxidative, evaporative years the spirit concentrates to tropical fruit, honey and a waxy, nutty depth. A light oiliness carries a waxy thread through the long, slow maturation. Years in oak round the spirit, the fresh notes deepening towards a nutty honey and orchard fruit. Vanillin and oak lactones from the wood lend vanilla and a soft coconut over the fruit. Long ageing turns the green, herbal edge towards orchard fruit, honey and a gentle spice.

Bottled at a cask strength 50.1%, it is concentrated. Green apple, hay and a soft cereal, lifted by a soft oak. It is grassy and gently nutty, the delicate spirit shining through. The finish is light, grassy and clean. This is a quiet, characterful Speyside single malt.