Glen Garioch 8 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%

An 8 year old from Glen Garioch is not something you run into on shelves any more. This bottling belongs to the years when the distillery still kept a young expression in its standard range, and it shows a side of the house most people only know from older bottles.

Please note: This bottling has been colour-adjusted with caramel E150a.

The expert's description

Glen Garioch 8 Year Old is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in oak casks and bottled at 40%.

The short age statement is the whole point. Eight years is enough for the cask to round the edges off, but not enough for it to take over, which is why the dry, cereal-driven character of the Glen Garioch spirit comes through so plainly. This is an official distillery bottling and has since been withdrawn from the range.

Glen Garioch has been distilling in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire since 1797 and is the most easterly working malt distillery in Scotland. The house has shifted style more than once over the years, and the younger bottlings from the early 2000s sit between the old peated era and the clean, fruity line the distillery follows today.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt and heather honey, dried apple and a trace of baked bread. Calm and understated — this is not a whisky that shouts.

Palate

Cereal and lightly sweet. Barley, honey and pear, with a dryness mid-palate that keeps the sweetness in check. The body is slender at 40%.

Finish

Short to medium. Malt and a dry, faintly bitter turn of oak at the close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Garioch 8 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 70 cl 40%
Distillery: Glen Garioch
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 8 years
ABV: 40%
Size: 70 CL
Natural colour: No
EAN no.: 5010496001103

Flavour profile

Malty · Honeyed · Dry · Light

Investment potential

Medium. Glen Garioch 8 Year Old is a discontinued official bottling the distillery no longer produces. Interest in older Glen Garioch releases has climbed steadily among collectors, and the short age statements are becoming hard to find intact.

Did you know?

Glen Garioch was the first Scottish distillery to fire its stills with North Sea natural gas. The gas came ashore a few kilometres away, and the distillery sat close enough to be plugged straight in.

See our full range of Glen Garioch

Frequently asked questions about Glen Garioch 8 Year Old

Why is an 8 year old whisky interesting?

Because it shows the spirit with the fewest layers on top. Eight years in cask gives just enough rounding for the whisky to feel complete, but the wood has not had time to drown the malt character. It is an honest way to meet a distillery.

What does E150a mean on a whisky label?

It is caramel colouring, used to keep the colour consistent from batch to batch. It is permitted in Scotch Whisky and mainly affects appearance, although some drinkers claim to detect a faint bitterness. This bottling has been colour-adjusted.

Is it peated?

Not to any noticeable degree. Glen Garioch used peated malt until the early 1990s, but this bottling comes after that period and is clean and malt-driven.

Can you still buy Glen Garioch 8 Year Old?

Not as a new release. The distillery withdrew the young expression from its range years ago, so the bottles that turn up come from old stock and private collections.

How is it best enjoyed?

Neat, in a tulip-shaped glass, at room temperature. At 40% there is not much to give away, so water flattens it quickly. If you are curious about other Scottish styles, see our full Scotch Whisky selection.

How does Glen Garioch compare with Speyside?

Drier and more cereal-led. Speyside whisky tends to be softer and more fruit-sweet, while Glen Garioch sits further east and carries a tighter, maltier style. The difference is clearest in the young bottlings.

Is the bottle suitable as a gift for a collector?

Yes, if the recipient cares about discontinued official bottlings. An 8 year old from a distillery that no longer makes one is exactly the kind of bottle a collector notes.