Glen Grant 10 years old version Highland Pure Malt Scotch Whisky 43%

The label reads Pure Malt and the bottle holds 75 cl. Two small details that place this whisky somewhere quite different in time from what stands on the shelves today. This is Glen Grant as it was sold in the 1980s.

The expert's description

Glen Grant 10 Year Old Old Version is a Highland Pure Malt Scotch Whisky from Speyside, bottled at 43%.

Pure Malt was the term used before Single Malt became the fixed standard, and 75 cl was the European bottle size until 70 cl took over in the early 1990s. The label calls the whisky Highland, which was common practice then — Speyside was for many years treated on paper as part of the Highland region, even for distilleries sitting in the middle of Rothes.

Glen Grant was founded in 1840 by brothers John and James Grant and has since been one of Speyside's largest houses. The style is light and dry, and that is no accident: the distillery runs tall pot stills fitted with purifiers, which send the heavier vapours back and let only the lighter spirit pass.

Tasting notes

Nose

Malt, apple skin and a dried floral note. There is a waxy depth behind the bright fruit that you often find in bottlings from this period.

Palate

Dry and firm, with barley, green apple and a hint of honey. The body is slimmer than a modern Speyside, yet there is more oily texture than 43% would promise.

Finish

Medium. Malt and white peppercorn, with a dry, almost mineral close.

Specifications

Name: Glen Grant 10 Year Old Old Version Highland Pure Malt Scotch Whisky 43%
Distillery: Glen Grant
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Highland Pure Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 75 CL
Bottled: 1980s
Edition: Old Version
EAN no.: 8700065013

Flavour profile

Malty · Dry · Lightly fruity · Waxy

Investment potential

Medium. Bottlings from the 1980s carrying the Pure Malt wording and the 75 cl bottle cannot be remade, and the supply only shrinks with the years. Glen Grant from this period also has a reputation for being fuller than the modern releases, which keeps collector interest alive.

Did you know?

Major Grant once had a safe cut into the rock in the distillery's garden, where he kept a bottle of whisky and two silver cups. Guests walking the garden were served on the spot, and the safe is still there.

See our full range of Glen Grant

Frequently asked questions about Glen Grant 10 Year Old Old Version

What does Pure Malt mean on the label?

It was the older term for whisky made entirely from malted barley. The rules were later tightened, and today a whisky from a single distillery must be called Single Malt Whisky. If the bottle says Pure Malt, it predates the current terminology.

Is it worth the money?

Judge it as a time capsule rather than an everyday bottle. You get Glen Grant from a period when the spirit and the casks were different, in a bottle size and with label wording that will not return. For a collector the value sits in exactly that, not in the age statement.

Why is the bottle 75 cl?

Because that was the European standard until 70 cl was introduced in the early 1990s. A 75 cl bottle is therefore in itself a good clue that a whisky was bottled before that change.

Why does it say Highland when Glen Grant sits in Speyside?

Because Speyside was for many years counted as a sub-region of the Highlands, and labels followed that practice. Rothes has always been in the heart of Speyside — only the naming has changed. See the other Scottish regions in our Scotch Whisky selection.

How does old Glen Grant compare with the current releases?

Bottlings from the 1980s often carry a waxy, malt-heavy depth that the modern expressions do not show in the same way. That comes down to spirit, cask quality and how long the casks had been in service. Bear in mind that old bottles can vary from one example to the next.

How is it best enjoyed?

Neat and unhurried. Give it 10 to 15 minutes in the glass — old bottlings often need air to open up. Water is rarely necessary at 43%.

How should I store an old bottle like this?

Upright, cool and out of direct light. On older bottles the cork is the weak point, so check it once a year and briefly invert the bottle if the cork looks dry.