Douglas Liang Director’s Cut Glen Ord 1992 Aged 21 Years

Style: Sweet and Grassy

Rating: ☆ [Recommended]

Nose:

Initially tight but incredibly aromatic, offering a fragrant orchard entrance. Caramelized red and green apples with the slightest mineralic hint. Then, a delightful wave of stone fruits—apricot and peach yoghurt—layering beautifully at mid-level, complemented by sherry-infused maltose and a hint of mint on the side. Digging deeper, we return to the sturdy spice backbone, scattered with dry barleys.

Palate:

An explosion of juicy sweetness on touchdown — an array of sugary fruits bursts across the palate, carried by a powerful herbal undercurrent, with abundant notes of green grass, marjoram, and peppermint. As the sweetness subsides at mid-palate, a drier component emerges, composed of green herbs, macadamia, coconut shavings, and ginger. The tail is rather nutmeg-heavy, finishing with a singing malt.

Finish:

Relatively thin but enticingly long, with lingering sweetness in the form of strawberries, diluted caramel, and apples. Over time, richer red fruits begin to build.

Thoughts:

Underrated and under the radar, Glen Ord is one of the workhorse distilleries for Diageo, with most of its production going to Johnnie Walker and to the Singleton brand. This expression showcases the youthful distillate, driving sweetness and grassiness to overdrive while maintaining solid structure and complexity. Although the spice can feel stark and unforgiving at times, the fruitiness balances it out well. A delicious dram.

[52.1% | Independent Bottling | Natural Cask Strength | Non-Coloured | Non-Chill Filtered | Single Cask | 1992 Distilled | 2013 Bottled | Cask Number: 9478 | 315 Bottles | *-]

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