August 1991. A cask is filled at Glen Spey in Rothes. The world pays no attention. And then it waits — 24 years and six months — until Gordon & Company pulls bottle number 30 of 291 in February 2016 and puts the cork in. That is the definition of patience.
Expert's description
Glen Spey 1991/2016 The Pearls of Scotland 24 year is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky from Speyside matured in a single cask for 24 years and bottled at 49.5% by Gordon & Company. The Pearls of Scotland is Gordon & Company's series of cask strength bottlings — "a pearl is something valued highly for its beauty and rarity" is the philosophy behind it. Each release is single cask, bottled at cask strength, without colouring or chill filtration.
24 years in a single cask produces a whisky of rare complexity. Glen Spey's light, floral base character has had time to transform: the fruit has become jammy and concentrated, the oak has added vanilla depth and a light nutty resinousness, and the natural strength of 49.5% still holds everything in balance. Cask no. 2533 yielded exactly 291 bottles — no. 30 is the one you see here.
Tasting notes
Nose
Dense and malty with dark chocolate and a sharp green apple note. Blueberry and vanilla reveal themselves slowly, followed by pale honeycake and a faint suggestion of leather.
Palate
Vanilla-first, full and creamy with apple and orange as supporting elements. The tannins from the extended cask life are balanced by natural sweetness — never sharp, always well-integrated.
Finish
Long and creamy with rich toffee and a gentle oak note. Warm and slowly fading — the classic hallmark of a well-aged single cask.
Specifications
Name: Glen Spey 1991/2016 The Pearls of Scotland 24 year
Distillery: Glen Spey
Bottler: Gordon & Company (Distillers) Ltd. – The Pearls of Scotland
Region/Country: Speyside, Scotland
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: 24 years
ABV: 49.5%
Size: 70 CL
Cask type: Single Cask
Bottled: February 2016
Number of bottles: 291 (bottle no. 30)
Cask no.: #2533
EAN no.: 5060371830663
Flavour profile
Malty · Chocolatey · Creamy · Fruity · Vanilla-rich
Investment potential
High — a 24-year single cask bottling from 2016, now over 10 years old as a release. Only 291 bottles exist, and Glen Spey single malts of this age are extremely scarce.
Did you know?
Glen Spey was the first Scottish distillery to come into English ownership when W. & A. Gilbey — a London wine merchant — acquired it in 1887. It opened the door for English capital in the Scottish whisky industry.
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