Glen Grant 1952

Glen Grant 1952, Single Malt Whisky, Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail

Nose: yes, the splinters arrive first. But they are docile and submissive the moment alight citrus and vanilla duet begins. And virtually vanish altogether when the Malteaser chocolate turns up… Taste: soft and inviting like wide, tender and yielding lips. The taste buds are kissed and caressed over and over again by a gorgeous mix of ulmo honey and Horlicks, with the oak induced tannins ensuring a stiffening of the sensations at just the right time… Finish: this is spicy stuff, though at first you don’t quite notice because of the malty seduction of your palate. But the constant teasing, kissing and caressing leads, due to the spice, to an unexpectedly violent finish… which carries on and on and on before it softens and drifts away. Balance: the 1952 vintage Glen Grant has always been one of the finest post war bottlings they have consistently bottled. I had expected the quality to dip. It hasn’t. I can honestly tell you that there is very little that is better than tasting a 1952 vintage: it gets my vote every time…

Jim Murray, Whisky BibleScore: 96.5/100