Baseline scotches have something of an uphill battle when it comes to standing out, especially to prospecting newcomers. This goes even further when discussing single malts, which almost always command a premium compared to popular blended brands like Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal, and Dewar’s. After trying a number of these bottles, my pervading sentiment has been some variation of “it’s fine.” This is a perfectly reasonable experience for bottles intended as entry points or for casual sipping. However, when it comes to parsing one product out from another, my guide has been more region-based than anything.

Speaking of regions, this is an area (pun not intended) that Glengoyne muddies the waters a bit. Residing close to Loch Lomond and right at the Highland/Lowland border, Glengoyne technically distills their whisky in the Highland region, but maturation takes place in the Lowlands. This gives the brand an inherently unique charm, even if off-site maturation isn’t exactly unique in Scotland. Another aspect that Glengoyne likes to highlight is how slowly they distill their whisky, partly so some of the rising flavour compounds can be more easily separated during the distillation process. It’s less of a “correct” way to produce whisky and more a “correct for us” approach, with distillery manager Robbie Hughes mentioning that “heavier flavours may be beneficial for other distilleries but they aren’t what we are looking for here.”

I’ll cover a few more details about Glengoyne in a couple future reviews, since I purchased one of their Time Capsule tasting kits, which includes the 12-Year, Legacy Series Chapter Two, and 18-Year. I’m starting with the 12-Year, which is matured in a combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before being bottled at 43% ABV. Local, domestic pricing for this expression seems to hover around $50-$65, which is on the steeper side for a scotch with such unassuming statistics.

Nose: Dried Pear, Fig Newton, Vanilla, Apricot

Light, Dry, Bready

Palate: Pear, Apple Pie, Vanilla, Caramel

Bright, Warm, Creamy

Finish: Cake Batter, Caramel, Honey Candy, Poached Pears

Warm, Medium, Fruity

Glengoyne 12-Year is about as unsurprising as a scotch can be. Like most other 12-year single malts, it’s competent, enjoyable, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser for casual whisky-drinking. I’d even say it achieves a slightly above average profile thanks to its nicely developed aromas and flavors, creamy texture, and surprisingly satisfying finish. Although ultimately marginal, the experience is elevated enough to make note of and has the potential to just-barely stand out in a lineup with similar specs.

The main drawback to Glengoyne 12-Year is its pricing. For upwards of $65, you can dip into more mature expressions from other producers. Results may vary based on the brand and/or expression, but I usually get more depth, complexity, and overall enjoyment from these alternatives. Elevated pricing might be the literal cost of Glengoyne’s alleged means of production, but even with some notable qualities, I struggle to see it as one I’m willing to pay.