Clan Denny Speyside Edition Small Batch Release Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%

Speyside has the most distilleries and the fewest extremes. This bottle does not try to be a particular house — it tries to be the region.

Expert description

Clan Denny Speyside Edition Small Batch Release is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 40%.

Douglas Laing married a small number of Speyside casks into one expression without disclosing the source. The region around the river Spey holds more than half of Scotland's working malt distilleries, and what they share is a style built on fruit, malt and soft sweetness rather than smoke. Small batch here means each release is limited and may vary slightly from one run to the next.

Tasting notes

Nose

Apple compote, honey and pale malt. Behind them sit vanilla, dried apricot and a light floral note.

Palate

Soft and malt-sweet. Pear, honey and pale caramel, with a touch of cinnamon from the oak. The mouthfeel is light and straightforward, without hard edges.

Finish

Medium, dry and malty, with cereal and a faint nutty warmth at the close.

Specifications

Name: Clan Denny Speyside Edition Small Batch Release Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%
Bottler: Douglas Laing
Region/Country: Speyside Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
ABV: 40 %
Size: 70 CL
Edition: Small Batch Release Speyside Edition
EAN no.: 5014218817898

Flavour profile

Soft · Fruity · Malty · Honeyed · Unpeated

Did you know?

Speyside was only formally recognised as a whisky region in its own right in 2009. Until then its distilleries were officially counted as Highland, which explains why so many old labels say Highland Malt on whisky that came from the Spey valley.

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Frequently asked questions about Clan Denny Speyside Edition

What defines the Speyside style?

Fruit, malt and soft sweetness, almost always without smoke. Apple, pear and honey recur, and the casks usually support rather than dominate. See the full selection in our Speyside Whisky.

Why is the distillery not on the bottle?

Because the release is built as a regional portrait, and because casks are often traded on condition that the source is not named. In return you get an honest representation of the region.

How does it differ from the Highland edition in the same range?

The Speyside edition is lighter, more fruit-sweet and more floral, where the Highland edition brings more cereal, spice and body. The difference is obvious when tasted side by side.

Does it make a good gift?

It is easy to approach, and the name of the region means something to most people. As an introduction to Scottish malt whisky it works well without needing explanation.

How should it be served?

Neat in a tulip glass at room temperature. At 40% it does not take much water. Avoid ice, which shuts down the pale fruit notes.

What does small batch mean in practice?

That only a few casks are married for each bottling. It gives a more personal expression than a large blend, but also a small variation from batch to batch, which is part of the appeal.