Glenkinchie 10 years old Version Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 100 cl 43%

A litre rather than the usual 70 centilitres. That format was sold in airports, and this bottle has been standing since June 1990.

Please note: Part of the tax strip is missing, and the bottle has a small scratch or knock mark in the glass. The bottle came from Copenhagen Airport, June 1990.

The expert's description

Glenkinchie 10 Year Old Version is a Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky bottled at 43% in a one litre bottle of 100 CL.

The ten year old was the distillery standard expression until it was replaced by the twelve year old. The change came because the two extra years in oak gave more vanilla, and the twelve has been the one on the shelves ever since.

Litre bottles like this were made for duty-free sales. Label, capsule and format all belong to that period, which makes the bottle as much a piece of airport history as a whisky.

Tasting notes

Nose

Bright and floral with lemon, grass and a note of honey.

Palate

Soft and light at 43% with citrus, malt and a mild spiced sweetness. The Lowland style is clear: clean and without weight.

Finish

Short to medium, dry and lightly grassy.

Specifications

Name: Glenkinchie 10 Year Old Version Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 100 cl 43%
Distillery: Glenkinchie
Region/Country: Lowland, Scotland
Type: Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 10 years
ABV: 43%
Size: 100 CL
Other: Older bottling, duty-free, Copenhagen Airport June 1990

Flavour profile

Light · Floral · Citrus · Malty · Dry

Investment potential

Medium. The litre format was phased out along with duty-free sales within the EU, and the ten year old no longer exists. Bottles with documented origin and date are easier to place with collectors than those without.

Did you know?

Glenkinchie stopped malting its own grain in 1969, and the malting floors were turned into a whisky museum. The museum has been open to visitors ever since and is one of the oldest attractions of its kind in Scotch whisky.

See our full range of Glenkinchie

Frequently asked questions about Glenkinchie 10 Year Old Version

Is it worth the money?

It depends what you are after. As a drinking bottle it is a light Lowland malt at 43%. As a collector bottle it is a litre of a discontinued expression with known origin and date, and that combination is what carries the price.

Why is the bottle a litre?

Because it was sold duty-free. The litre format was standard in airports and on ferries, while shops sold 70 centilitres.

Does the ten year old still exist?

No. Glenkinchie moved to a twelve year old as its standard expression because the two extra years gave more vanilla. The ten is only found second-hand.

What is the tax strip?

It is the paper strip that seals the stopper. On older bottles it is often worn or partly gone, and it says nothing about the contents.

Has the whisky deteriorated over the years?

No. Whisky does not develop in the bottle as long as the stopper holds. The contents match what was filled at the time.

How do I store it?

Upright, cool and dark. Older cork can dry out, so check the stopper now and then and keep an eye on the level in the bottle.

What is a Lowland malt?

A whisky from southern Scotland. The style is typically light, dry and floral, and Glenkinchie is the one Diageo chose as its Lowland representative in the Classic Malts.

What else is there from the same distillery?

See the full selection at Glenkinchie or look more widely in our Scotch Whisky section.