I always enjoy exploring new brands (to me). Although Glengoyne could hardly be considered a fresh face, considering the facility was originally established in 1833, the distillery’s current name is more commonly traced back to the early 20^th century. There’s even a story that a clerk mistakenly recorded the location name as Glen Guin. A separate, arguably more plausible explanation for the name is how, during Winter, the hill behind the distillery acts as a beacon for flocks of geese migrating over Scotland.

Be that as it may, ownership of the distillery has exchanged hands a few times over the past century, from Robertson & Baxter Group (later becoming Edrington Group) in 1965, followed by Macleod Distillers Ltd in 2003. This means Glengoyne has association with a host of other names in the industry, with current ones including Rosebank, Tamdhu, Smokehead, and Shieldaig, just to name a few. Glengoyne currently produces their whisky on what they deem the slowest stills in Scotland, utilizing air-dried Golden Promise barley for the base distillate. They also forgo peat smoke when drying the barley.

This brings us to Glengoyne 18-Year, the third and final product from their Time Capsule tasting kit that I purchased a while ago. Glengoyne 18-Year replaced their popular 17-year expression around 2013, when the core range was overhauled. Unlike the 12-Year and Legacy Series Chapter Two, which simply mention using some combination of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, the 18-Year is “matured in a generous share of Oloroso” sherry casks, some of which may be refill while others are first-fill (American and European). Online pricing through Glengoyne’s site puts this bottle at about $150 US, although I’ve seen it on shelves for well over $200. Bottling strength is at 43% ABV.

Nose: Dehydrated Pear, Apple Medley, Bubblegum, Honey

Bright, Buttery, Inviting

Palate: Honeycrisp Apple, Pear, Parfait, Yogurt

Light, Tart, Mildly Sour

Finish: Honey, Pear, Orange Syrup, Toast

Light-Medium, Effervescent, Warm

The transition from Glengoyne 12-Year to Legacy Series Chapter Two felt like moving from the bog-standard to the surprisingly elevated, and I was definitely about it. To that end, Glengoyne 18-Year slips back to an experience more in-line with its younger, but still age-stated sibling. This is probably unsurprising considered both are bottled at 43% ABV while Legacy Series Chapter Two bumped things to 48%. Although I have mixed thoughts on scotch at cask strength, the 48-52% range feels like a true sweet spot, and I find myself wishing the 18-Year was proofed a bit less, perhaps to 46%.

Everything about Glengoyne 18-Year feels tuned and dialed in to deliver the fewest surprises while checking as many “friendly” boxes as possible. This results in a pour that certainly satisfies and even proves itself a notable step above its lower-positioned peers, but struggles to deliver a truly noteworthy experience. It’s perfectly sufficient for satisfying (or impressing) casual drinkers or otherwise open-minded individuals in a more casual setting, but not much else.