2015 Signatory Vintage Glen Spey 9 Year Old 100 Proof Edition #37 Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Considered by several whisky writers as "one of the most 'obscure' distilleries in Scotland", Glen Spey would have continued to slip under the radar of malt chasers, had it not been for a handful of favourable releases. Formerly known as the "Mill of Rothes", it was built in 1878 by James Stuart & Co (who later went on to buy the Macallan distillery). Always intended as a filler for blends, as with its neighbour, Glen Grant, pot stills are equipped with "purifiers", redirecting some vapour to reflux within the still to produce a less feinty and lighter spirit. This edition was matured in a first-fill sherry butt. 57.1% Alc./Vol. Non-chill filtered.

Other reviews... Always these very affordable series from Signatory, with that heavily worked sherry that perhaps doesn’t always let the character of the distillate shine through, but does its job very, very well. Colour: full gold. Nose: ah this is pretty, there's a touch of exhaust fumes (not pleasant in the street but sometimes rather charming in your glass), then green walnuts, cherry stalks, and peach leaves. A few hints of satay sauce, followed by pear cake. With water: marked saponification but it fades quickly, then comes a mix of Indian spices, think tandoori seasoning. Mouth (neat): surprising, on mustard, pepper, tar and dark chocolate, quite the unusual trio. With water: this time, beyond the Indian spices, there's candied ginger and fir bud. Really very unusual. Finish: long, and there's even a flavour of poppadums at the end. Comments: very hard to categorise, this isn't your typical sherry cask. In any case, it feels much more Indian than those super Indian malt whiskies, ha. 84 points - whiskyfun.com