Glen Garioch’s new range of limited edition whiskies finally makes it way here.
Named The Renaissance, these whiskies (well, one so far actually) are designed to showcase the new house style that was introduced after the distillery was re-opened. Glen Garioch officially released the first of four in its Renaissance collection last year, but it’s only now that this bottling has been made available in Singapore.
The Renaissance Collection will be an interesting concept for most whisky enthusiasts as it is a journey that will span across four years. Every year, a new bottle – or Chapter – will be released to showcase what an extra year does to the whisky. The first Chapter in the collection is a 15YO while the last will seemingly be released as an 18YO.
The Renaissance is a relatively limited edition, with 12,000 bottles of Chapter 1 released worldwide. Although it’s not a rarity, get it sooner rather than later if you intend to follow the entire series.
It’s called Glen ‘Geery’
A relatively unknown distillery if you consider what makes the news these days, Glen Garioch is one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, if not the oldest, having been founded in 1797. Debates on whether or not it is the oldest are practically pointless; it’s basically my word against yours amongst the distillers as it’s near impossible to verify.
After its acquisition in 1994 by Suntory (now Beam Suntory), the distillery was briefly closed, and reopened in 1997 with a new house style. Gone was the peat, and the whisky now has a more ‘commercial’ appeal. It is perhaps the only distillery to bottle their whiskies at an unusual ABV of 48%.
All of this makes Glen Garioch, and consequently The Renaissance, a rather interesting proposition. With the stock of new style whisky no older than 18 years of age, The Renaissance will appeal strongly to the inquisitive: it practically invites you to acquire an entire set for head-to-head comparisons.
The Renaissance: Chapter One 15YO
Produced from a mixture of Bourbon and Sherry casks, the 15YO Renaissance is non-chill filtered and has been bottled at 51.9% ABV. S$213
Official tasting notes Rich Highland toffee, creamy butterscotch, chocolate ginger biscuits and tangy citrus peel lead to honey-glazed baked apricots and cinnamon-spiced orange interlaced with smooth malted caramel and barley sugar, with a ginger marmalade on warm buttered granary toast finish.
While a little pricey, the new Renaissance is a good advert for Glen Garioch’s new house style. We figure it’s only a matter of time before these mid-age whiskies become part of the regular line-up.
