Origin: Lowland (Scotland)
Type: Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Strength: 46.7%ABV
Ageing casks: Ex-Bourbon barrels
Chillfiltered: No
Added colouring: No
Owner: Chapter 7 Whisky
Average price: € 130.00
Official website: chapter7whisky.com
Vote: 84/100
Built in just nine months in 1963, the Girvan distillery was set up by William Grant & Sons in retaliation for a dispute with DCL over a TV advertisement considered indecent by the association, which threatened to cut off the supply of grain whisky to the group.
Initially producing grain whisky only for blends, flanked by gin and since 2007 also producing for Ailsa Bay, it has recently seen the release of some fine bottlings under the label The Girvan Patent Still which you can see illustrated, together with their particular production method, here.
Fourth single grain for the Swiss bottler, the result of vatting seven ex-Bourbon casks with two barrels, also ex-Bourbon, producing 547 cask strength bottles.
Tasting notes
The nose is very syrupy, intense corn and honey aromas, vanilla, light wood spices (nutmeg, cinnamon), maple syrup. Whipped egg white with brown sugar. Lively, for a 30-year-old.
In the mouth it’s warm and sharp, with a sparkling spiciness of pepper and ginger that introduces cereals, pear compote, sugar paste, honey, freshly cut wood, juniper. Slight roasting in the background with a hint of hazelnut.
The finish is not very long with spicy touches on notes of wood, vanilla, honey, nuts.
I honestly have a hard time falling in love with single grains, they always seem to lack depth and complexity, and this one is no exception: good texture, rich in personality, but no particular evolution to spark off.