Glen Spey 2009/2026 Cadenheads Original Collection 16 year old Single Speyside Malt Whisky 70 cl 46%

In the small town of Rothes, deep in Speyside, sits a distillery most people have never heard of, even though they have probably tasted it without knowing. Glen Spey brews almost exclusively for blends, and only rarely does a cask escape before it disappears into the mix. This time, Cadenhead's got there first.

Expert Description

Glen Spey-Glenlivet 16 Year Old Amontillado Hogsheads is a Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured on Amontillado Sherry Hogsheads and bottled at 46%.

This bottling comes from Cadenhead's Original Collection, the independent bottler's range of smaller releases that showcase a distillery's typical character without embellishment. The whisky was distilled in 2009 and has spent time since 2022 in fresh Amontillado Sherry Hogsheads, picking up its final colour and spice before being bottled in August 2026.

Glen Spey was founded in 1878 by James Stuart under the name Mill of Rothes, and just nine years later he sold the distillery on to the English wine and spirit merchant W. & A. Gilbey, making it the first Scottish malt distillery in English hands. Through a string of mergers it ended up with Diageo in 1997, its current owner. The distillery's two pairs of stills carry an unusual lantern shape fitted with purifiers, sending part of the vapour back into the pot and producing a lighter, cleaner spirit. That makes it ideal for blending, but it rarely gets bottled on its own. The vast majority of the output goes into the J&B blend, and official single malt releases from Glen Spey can be counted on one hand. The malt is unpeated, so there is no smoke to speak of.

As with every Cadenhead's release, the whisky is non-chill filtered and free from added colouring.

Tasting Notes

Nose

Rhubarb and custard meet a touch of red wine, while the scent of freshly picked apples and ripe pears calls to mind a late-summer orchard.

Palate

On the palate there are red apples, a sweetness reminiscent of mango sorbet, and a warm bite of ginger cake.

Finish

The finish is spiced with cardamom and cloves, while a light, bitter note of orange peel ties it all together.

Specifications

Name: Glen Spey-Glenlivet 16 Year Old Amontillado Hogsheads
Distillery: Glen Spey-Glenlivet
Bottler: Cadenhead's
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 16 Years
ABV: 46%
Size: 70 CL
Cask Type: Amontillado Sherry Hogsheads
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distillation method: Double distilled
Distilled: 2009
Bottled: 2026
Edition: Cadenhead's Original Collection
EAN: 6108540131365

Flavour Profile

Sherry-matured · Fruity · Spiced · Nutty · Dry

Did You Know?

The name Glen Spey-Glenlivet is a hangover from the 19th century, when a long list of Speyside distilleries tacked "-Glenlivet" onto their own name to borrow prestige from their far more famous neighbour. Glen Spey itself has only ever sent a handful of official single malt bottlings out into the world - the first one did not appear until 2001.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Glen Spey-Glenlivet 16 Year Old Amontillado Hogsheads

What makes this Glen Spey special?

Glen Spey is almost never bottled as a single malt - most of what the distillery produces disappears into the J&B blend. This release from Cadenhead's Original Collection is a rare chance to taste the distillery's own character, sharpened by 16 years in Amontillado Sherry Hogsheads.

What does it mean that this is from Cadenhead's Original Collection?

Original Collection is Cadenhead's range of smaller releases built to show a distillery's typical style with no embellishment. Unlike the house's cask-strength series, this one is bottled at 46%, making it more approachable while still non-chill filtered and free from added colouring.

What does Amontillado-matured Speyside whisky taste like?

Amontillado sherry gives a dry, nutty sweetness rather than the heavy raisin and chocolate notes you get from Oloroso. Here that shows up as red wine, orchard fruit, ginger cake and spices like cardamom and cloves.

What temperature should it be served at?

Best at room temperature or just below, around 16-18°C. Too cold and the nose closes up, taking the fine spice notes from the sherry cask with it.

Should it be served with ice or neat?

Neat, or with a few drops of water, is the way to go. Ice cools the whisky down too fast and dulls both the fruit and the spice that make up much of its charm.

Which glass suits it best?

A tulip-shaped whisky glass concentrates the aromas best, letting the nose pick up both the fruit and the spice before you taste it.

Why is Glen Spey so unknown as a single malt, given the distillery has existed since 1878?

The distillery was built to supply light, clean spirit for blends - first J&B, later other Diageo blends. The lantern-shaped stills fitted with purifiers were designed for exactly that purpose, so there has never been much tradition of selling Glen Spey as a standalone Speyside Single Malt Whisky.