Glen Spey 7 Years Old 2015 Cask #100726 (Sansibar)

This Glen Spey was bottled by Sansibar, a 7 year old, distilled in 2015, from cask 100726, at 60.1%, one of 299 bottles. Glen Spey is a Speyside single malt whose purifier stills give a light, grassy spirit. Most of its spirit goes to blends; single malt Glen Spey is rare, and largely the work of independents. It was founded in 1878 by the grain merchant James Stuart, who added stills to an old oatmeal mill.

Distilled in tall onion shaped stills, shaping a light body with a soft, waxy edge. A bourbon barrel held it, the wood adding a light vanilla and a touch of honey. Young and extractive, the cask sheds vanillin and toasted sugars over the clean, nutty spirit. 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. Maturation in the racked warehouses is slow and even, the Speyside air cool and steady.

At a hearty 60.1% it carries real weight. A light meadow grass and orchard fruit, with a light oak sweetness. The mouthfeel is light, a faint waxiness carrying the fruit. The finish is light, grassy and clean. This is a Speyside single malt of real lightness.