I have to admit I didn’t have William Grant’s blended whisky before. Their ambassador Ludo Ducrocq was kind enough to let me try the whole range but I didn’t go for the basic expressions right away – let’s start at a decent level with the Grant’s 18 Year Old. It used to be nicknamed ‘Classic Reserve’.
As a reminder, William Grant & Sons is a top-5 producer of Scotch whisky. They own Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Kininvie and Alisa Bay malt distilleries and the grain distillery Girvan. They also produce Hendrick’s Gin among other drinks.
After a separate maturation, the malt and grain whiskies for this 18 Year Old are brought together and finished in Port casks.
Grant’s 18 yo (40%, OB +/- 2013)
Grant’s 18 yo (40%, OB +/- 2013)Nose: a rich nose, very honeyed, with figs and red berries. Raisins. Orange zest and fresh lemon. A nice Port influence, a little on the winey side but it works well here, with some intriguing grape notes. Toasted almonds and soft earthy notes as well.
Mouth: again a dried fruits / sherried kind of dram, with caramelized pear and citrus zest before a light bittersweetness sets in. Nice hints of smoke and toasted nuts. Raisins and heather honey. Vanilla and warm spices.
Finish: decent length, quite elegant, with oaky notes, chocolate sweetness and pepper.
I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Some would say the Port influence makes it winey, but on the other hand I prefer this to the grainy harshness of other blends. It’s thick, honeyed, and well composed. It doesn’t seem to be widely available, but worth a try. Around € 65.
Score: 83/100