Glen Spey The Managers’ Choice 13 Years Old 1996

A 13 year old Glen Spey, a distillery bottling, from 1996, cask 240, at 52%, 276 bottles in all. Glen Spey is a Speyside single malt made on Doonie Burn water at Rothes. It is one of five distilleries in the whisky town of Rothes, in the heart of Speyside.

The spirit was drawn off after a ferment of two to three days, shaping a light body with a soft, waxy edge. A refill bourbon hogshead held it, keeping the light, nutty character to the fore. Through integration the spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend a riper orchard fruit over the nutty malt. Active wood frames the fruit without ever crowding the delicate Speyside spirit. Built for the blender's art, the light make ages with quiet grace as a single malt. 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.

At a natural 52% it is full and nutty. A clean, grassy sweetness with a nutty thread, with a soft vanilla from the oak. The body is light and clean, the fruit lifted by a gentle oak. The finish is rounded, nutty and clean. This is a Speyside single malt of real lightness.