Signatory is based at Edradour in Perthshire, and the Small Batch range is where they marry a handful of casks from the same distillery rather than chase the one perfect barrel. Number 14 in the series came from Glen Garioch.
The expert's description
Glen Garioch 2011/2023 Signatory Small Batch Edition #14 is a Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in 1st fill bourbon barrels and bottled at 48.2%.
The batch was distilled in 2011 and spent 12 years in 1st fill bourbon barrels. The 48.2% is not cask strength but the strength Signatory chose to gather the batch at, and the whisky is neither chill filtered nor coloured. The point of a small batch is to gain the breadth of several casks without losing the distillery voice.
Signatory Vintage has been bottling single malt since 1988 and bought Edradour distillery in 2002, where the warehouses sit today. Andrew Symington built the company on one simple principle: buy the casks early, leave them alone for a long time, and do as little as possible to them before bottling.
Tasting notes
Nose
Fresh orange peel and honey, with dried barley behind. There is a confectionery streak to it — coconut macaroon and soft vanilla, clearer once the glass has stood a while.
Palate
Creamy and round. Toffee, vanilla custard and butterscotch, with baked orchard fruit and toasted almonds. The spice is restrained and arrives only at the end.
Finish
Medium to long. Vanilla and caramel first, then a warming wave of spice and a dry American oak close.
Specifications
Name: Glen Garioch 2011/2023 Signatory Small Batch 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt Whisky 48.2%
Distillery: Glen Garioch
Bottler: Signatory Vintage
Region/Country: Highland, Scotland
Type: Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 12 years
ABV: 48.2%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: 1st fill bourbon barrels
Non-chill filtered: Yes
Natural colour: Yes
Distilled: 2011
Edition: Small Batch Edition #14
Flavour profile
Fruity · Vanilla-sweet · Creamy · Soft · Spiced
Did you know?
Signatory is one of very few independent bottlers that owns a distillery of its own. Edradour was for years Scotland's smallest, and the warehouses there now hold Signatory's whole portfolio of casks bought in from other houses.
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