Whisky review: Glenkinchie Distillers Edition

Glenkinchie is the distillery representing the Lowlands region of Scotland in the Diageo "Classic Malts" portfolio. It's known as the "Edinburgh Malt" because the distillery is only about 20 miles southeast of Edinburgh. Like most Lowlands malts, Glenkinchie is typically light, grassy, with light fruit and/or floral notes; this was elucidated in my previous tasting of the Glenkinchie 12.

This bottling, the Glenkinchie Distillers Edition, has been first matured in a refill bourbon cask, and then finished in an amontillado sherry cask. (All of the Distillers Edition malts are finished in some sort of fortified wine cask.) Since Glenkinchie is so light, it's interesting to see what maturation in a sherry cask will do to it, as it's generally thought that light whiskies will not hold up too well to sherry aging.

Glenkinchie Distillers Edition, 43% ABV

Distilled 1991, bottled 2005

Single malt Scotch whisky (Lowlands)

Appearance: Dark gold.

Nose: Wow, a lot of great things happening here. Lively fruit with a toasty, malty backdrop. Sweet like a sugar cookie, but complex as well. Roses, hay.

Palate: A dry, tart, green apple-like flavor with rounded edges of darker fruits and wood. A bit of salt late in the game.

Finish: Dry with some more wood and fruit (apple, pear).

Rating (of 100): 88. Very interesting; the nose is definitely captivating and the interplay between dark and light is evident. Could have done with a fuller, more lingering finish. Either way, a huge improvement on the Glenkinchie 12.