Belgian bottler (or rather bottling collective) Liquid Art is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. I believe it all started with a Glen Elgin 1995? For this occasion they released three bottlings, more or less at the same time.
There is Glentauchers, Glen Garioch and Royal Brackla. Maybe not the kind of distilleries you impress outsiders with, but those who know Liquid Art will agree they have a good nose for underdogs.
Glentauchers 2008 (51,7%, Liquid Art ’10th Anniversary’ 2024, sherry cask, 96 btl.)
Nose: smells like a distillery at first. Ale, buttery malt, draff and mildly dried herbs. Bulky notes of caramelized nuts and creamy candy. On the other hand also brighter fruit in the background, like pears and apple blossom. Opens up nicely if you give it some time.
Mouth: more of this apple sweetness, evolving towards syrupy notes and stewed plums. Honeyed notes mixed with mild herbs and mint. A very light nuttiness from the sherry cask, as well as some liquorice and raisins.
Finish: medium, on red apple, raisins, with a hint of caramel and walnuts.
Malty whisky with modest fruits and modest sherry. Not entirely celebratory, I’d say (in the sense that their track record is generally more impressive than this) but certainly a very solid everyday whisky. Available from Liquid Art.
Glen Garioch 2011 (52,1%, Liquid Art ’10th Anniversary’ 2023, bourbon cask, 135 btl.)
Nose: bright and fresh, with green apples and pears, bananas, mirabelles and light honey. Then pleasant barley notes and slightly dusty dough, with a pinch of white pepper. Whiffs of vegetal oils and dandelions too.
Mouth: quite fruity again, with more (red) apple, hints of tangerines, pink grapefruits and mead, as well as some light chalk and grassy notes underneath. Nicely oily, with a peppery edge. Vanilla and liquorice add some depth.
Finish: medium long, with hints of green pear and this vegetal / leafy side which grows stronger.
Another fine selection, a slightly more austere (or grown-up) profile than the Glentauchers. Available from Liquid Art or partner shops. Score: 87/100
Royal Brackla 2007 (51,7%, Liquid Art & Cask Six 2024, 161 btl.)
Nose: even more vibrant. Plenty of vibrant apples and pears, juicy yellow plums and moderate bananas, as well as some vanilla custard and hints of powder sugar. Then some minty freshness. A light varnished note and sourdough add a little extra, as well as an oily touch. Overall very clean and quite summery.
Mouth: greener now, with a sweet and sour citrusy core, mainly grapefruit. Then a little pear eau-de-vie or kirschwater, with lemon juice and green tea. A touch of sucrose sweetness. Then also hints of white pepper, peppermint and subtle vanilla, with light oak.
Finish: medium, with some creamy elements but also the zesty citrus along with the eau-de-vie-ish fruits.
On the nose I expected this to rise above the others. However on the palate it becomes greener and more narrow. This concludes a nice line-up, selected from distilleries that are often overlooked. Score: 87/100