We published our first Glen Keith review on this blog only a few months ago, and we return already to this distillery. The previous review covered an independent bottling from Wemyss Malts; this time, we are looking at three official Glen Keith releases. Glen Keith, like the Braevals we reviewed last month, belongs to Pernod Ricard’s Secret Speyside range. The whiskies under review come from the first batch, so they might differ slightly from later batches, but they remain available, making this review relevant. (And I do not limit myself to reviewing only currently available whiskies.) Here are my notes on the Glen Keith 21-, 25-, and 28-year-old expressions.
Glen Keith 21-year-old batch GK/001 (2019) Review
Glen Keith 21-year-old batch GK/001 was bottled in 2019 after maturing in a mix of first-fill and refill oak barrels and butts. It was bottled at 43% ABV, likely with added colouring and chill filtration. Over 15,000 bottles were produced, as the bottle in the photograph is number 15,692. It remains available, priced from €175 in Europe and £180 in the UK.
Colour:
Burnished
Nose:
Neat: Pineapple, apricot, a touch of orange, vanilla, and honey. The nose is intense despite the lower ABV. Orchard fruits, mainly peaches and nectarines, appear alongside marzipan and a hint of cinnamon. After some time, a light herbal bitterness, reminiscent of spent tea leaves, emerges.
Palate:
Neat: The palate closely matches the nose, but the wood is more prominent, introducing dark chocolate and an oaky bitterness. The intensity and satisfyingly oily mouthfeel are notable for the ABV. Spices such as pepper and clove are present.
Finish:
Overly peppered pineapple with a pinch of salt, dark coffee, ginger and Spanish oak, for a medium length.
Comments:
Well, this small verticale starts well and with a good surprise, as despite the ABV, this Glen Keith 21-year-old definitely exceeded my expectations, which is good news, especially when you consider the price that can feel like it’s a little too expensive. Though, to be honest, with today’s crazy prices, it doesn’t feel that expensive anymore compared to some other whiskies of the same age… But don’t tell Pernod-Ricard, we wouldn’t want them to raise those prices.
Rating: 7.5/10
Glen Keith 25-year-old batch GK/001 (2019) Review
The Glen Keith 25-year-old batch GK/001, also released in 2019, matured exclusively in first-fill American oak barrels and was bottled in June 2019. It was likely chill filtered and coloured, bottled at 43%, and is still available, priced from €285 in Europe and £390 in the UK.
Colour:
Burnished.
Nose:
Neat: Good intensity. Overripe tropical fruits with a slight leafy earthiness. Apples, pears, peaches, mangoes, papayas, and pineapples are present, with a light floral note, ivy leaves, some oak, and gentle, warm spice.
Palate:
Neat: Oily and lightly creamy mouthfeel. Vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, and a variety of fruits—red and green apples, melon, pineapple, plums, cherries, gooseberries—with a pleasant tartness. Oak spice, mostly pepper, with some chilli and allspice.
Finish:
Pepper, chocolate, wood, and lingering fruit notes. The pepper persists longer than the other flavours.
Comments:
The Glen Keith 25-year-old shows more wood and a slightly darker profile than the 21-year-old, but not necessarily an improvement. It is different, but not better, and still with a lot of similarities. Hence, the same rating.
Rating: 7.5/10
Glen Keith 28-year-old batch GK/001 (2019) Review
The third whisky is the Glen Keith 28-year-old from the previous Secret Speyside range, matured in first-fill American oak barrels. It is also bottled at 43% ABV, probably chill filtered and coloured. Prices start at €420 in Europe and £450 in the UK.
Colour:
Burnished.
Nose:
Neat: The intensity is lower than the 21- and 25-year-old. Notes of unlit cigarette, followed by Glen Keith’s typical fruits—apples, pears, papayas, mangoes, dragon fruit, and pineapples—though these come across as fruit purée rather than fresh fruit. Juicy apricots, vanilla, honey, mustard seeds, and some restrained wood are also present.
Palate:
Neat: Less fruity than the younger expressions. Milk chocolate comes first, followed by peppered fruit purée with red apples, passion fruit, pineapple, apricots, and melon. The wood influence is stronger, with oak bitterness and wood spices. Walnuts and light ginger notes appear, then a strong presence of white pepper. The mouthfeel is oilier than expected for the ABV.
Finish:
White pepper dominates, with oak bitterness and tropical fruit-infused chocolate sauce.
Comments:
The 28-year-old is the least appealing of the three. It lacks the brightness and summery character of the younger expressions, and the pepper on the palate feels unbalanced. The extra years in first-fill barrels may have been too much. The latest Secret Speyside Glen Keith releases (26-, 31-, and 33-year-old) are cask strength but come with a significant price increase, so these older editions may offer better value, especially if found below retail price at auction.