1958 Gordon & Macphail Rare Vintage Glen Grant Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
The Glen Grant distillery is named after its two founders, James and John Grant who built the distillery in Rothes in 1840. After their death, the son of James, Major James Grant took over the business, and built another distillery across the road naming it “Glen Grant II” (today known as Caperdonich). The Major always aimed at producing a first rate malt, and so designed the distilleries especially tall, slender stills and purifiers himself. He reputedly enjoyed leading guests through his exotic gardens to a nearby falls where, taken from his secret whisky safe, he’d offer drams of Glen Grant accompanied by spring water drawn from the same Speyside burn that still feeds the distillery today. When the Major died, his grand son, Major Douglas Mackessack took over the distillery, continuing its success.
Like most distilleries, Glen Grant closed its doors during the two World Wars due to a lack of barley and has since changed ownership several times. Most recently, the distillery was sold in 2006 to the Italian group Campari as a result of the acquisition of Allied Domecq by Pernod Ricard. Glen Grant remains one of the world's best-selling single malts (being especially popular in Italy), and is also available in various independent and vintage bottlings. This one from Gordon & Macphail is reported to be one of the all time greats. Bottled in 2011, this 1958 vintage Glen Grant has been aged for well over fifty years in sherry casks.
Other reviews... ...it’s as though a blender – one of those noisy things you find in the kitchen, as opposed to a quiet, saintly soul located in a whisky lab – has been deployed to hurtle together in a microscopic form of pot pouri of mashed, sun-kissed fruit and a complex array of vanilla notes. The result is curiously light if intense, if that makes sense: but that is exactly what you will find. The oak is controlled and elegant, the degree of sweetness to dryness absolute textbook stuff; t24 if you want an essay in finesse, then just take a small mouthful of this: the rich plummy fruits have been liberally doused in muscovado sugar and the vanillas have a toasty edge. The results are a delivery which frankly defies years as well as description. Astonishing. F24 you might expect this to be the Achilles heel: sure this dram must have a flaw somewhere, and the build up of oak at the death has to be where you find it. Right? Wrong! Here we have the oaks collecting for sure, but they have been well impregnated with those stunningly sweet fruity tones, any bitterness is entirely eradicated. Long, lush and lasting… b24.5 virtually no grey hairs on this 50-year-old which has embraced half a century with an unbelievable degree of finesse and grace. One of the truly great Glen Grants – indeed, Speyside malts – of recent years, this is textbook stuff as to regard how to showcase enormous age with virtually no blemishes to speak of. One of the all time great Old Timers. And if you can’t afford Glenfiddich 50-year-old at GBP 10,000 a throw, then settle for this one that is just half a point and lot of money behind… 40% 96.5 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2010size>