You are currently viewing Glen Grant – 15 Year Batch Strength

Glen Grant – 15 Year Batch Strength

Batch Strength of Fresh Fruit

Did you get to experience a dram of Glen Grant 16? It is no longer available (insert weeping sounds here) and I’m still not over it. I shared the last of my bottle with my friend, Kristin, a self-proclaimed bourbon girl who doesn’t like scotch. She liked it. But the 16 is gone. Enter stage right – Glen Grant 15 Year Batch Strength.

During a visit at Oak Point Market in Central, LA (always worth the trip for their great selection and customer-centric service) I bought a bottle of the Glen Grant 15 Batch Strength. Not Cask Strength, but Batch Strength. With a 50% ABV its strength is the culmination of the entire batch run, not the exact ABV of a single cask. This offering is only in travel retail and the US market.


The Scots huntsman adores his dog and this dram.

Distillery: Glen Grant
Expression: 15 Year Batch Strength; 1st Edition
Origin: Speyside
ABV: 50%
NCF: Yes
Age: 15 years
Date Distilled: 2002
Date Bottled: 2017
Cask: 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon

Sampling it neat….
Color: Light Straw Yellow
Nose: Fresh strawberries and a buttery, vanilla pound cake, but not super sweet
Palate: First sip is sweet fresh fruit, then rolls into a spicy cinnamon toast and honey toffee
Finish: Dry finish, low heat, spice lingers a bit

From the first whiff to the last sniff I get the aroma of fresh strawberries. It’s as if someone cut up flat of Ponchatoula, Louisiana strawberries and poured them over a fresh-baked pound cake.

The initial palate is sweet with a fresh fruit taste of apple or pear. Then spice comes along like the burnt bits of sugar in cinnamon toast (bread, butter, cinnamon and a piles of sugar – not the cereal).

Glen Grant has eight very tall stills which produce a lighter spirit. That is evident for every Glen Grant I’ve had – including my beloved 16. It’s a lovely, light Speyside but by not means thin or weak.

The finish is a slightly dry with lingering spice. At 50% ABV, it has relatively no alcohol heat.

With a little water… Brought out more sweetness on the nose – like a fruit-topped crème brûlée. More honey flavor on the palate. Thinner finish with less spice and dryness. Still a delectable dram.

Final Notes:

While I would love for the Glen Grant 15 Year Batch Strength to be a direct replacement for the 16, it is not. And it wasn’t created as such. On its own, it’s a really good bottle of whisky – as it was meant to be.

Far too often our favorites are discontinued. After all, there is only so much whisky in a particular cask or production. A new expression  deserves a fair shake.  We should allow each offering  to stand on its own and not in the shadow of our favored memory.

This bottle cost me about $60 and it’s worth every drop. Against other 15 year selections, most with lower ABV, it’s a downright bargain. If you are looking for an everyday dram with a lightly sweet flavor and higher ABV, this would be a great choice. We will definitely keep Glen Grant 15 Year Batch Strength on our bar.

Have you had this dram? What do you think about it? Let me know in the comments below!

By the Way…

I love garage sales and thrift stores. Don’t put it past me to stop and grab someone else’s trash to become my treasure. This handsome Scotsman figurine came from a yard sale a few streets over from our home and I thought he would make a great addition to the bar.

 

Slainte, Y’all

Please remember: These comments are just my opinion. We all have our own distinct flavor profiles. What one person loves may not be special to another. That’s beauty about the vast number of expressions – there is something for everyone. Explore and find what you like!

Lee Ann

Slàinte, Y’all! Life in Louisiana. A dram of scotch whisky. Adventures from Swamp to Scotland and the world.

This Post Has 14 Comments

  1. Mark

    Absolutely love Glen Grant and will miss the 16 too! But, you are absolutely right about giving each one is own fair due. So glad to hear this one is enjoyable!

    1. Lee Ann

      Thanks, Mark. I think you will like it. ??

      1. Janice

        I signed up this is so
        Informative and fun!!❤️

  2. Brad M

    Nice review Lee, I will have to try it. I recently purchased the 18 and only had a neck pour so far. Verdict still out on whether it’s in my wheelhouse.

    1. Lee Ann

      Thanks! And totally understand. I’m trying to be more patient with some bottles that don’t “wow” me from the first pour.

  3. Brad M

    Nice review Lee, I will have to try it. I recently purchased the 18 and only had a neck pour so far. Verdict still out on whether it’s in my wheelhouse.

  4. Kristin

    As much as I appreciated the dram you shared with me, I feel so naive and wish now I knew how special it was. I know when you saw my face light up and I looked at you and said “wow-this is incredible!” You we’re thrilled to have finally given me something that would bring me over to the Scotch side! I will definitely be purchasing this bottle and look forward to sitting with you while we continue to hone my taste. Slainté my friend!

    1. Lee Ann

      LOL. I will get you over to the dark side soon enough! As always, thanks for your support, my bourbon girl friend!

  5. George Kaplan

    “We should allow each offering to stand on its own and not in the shadow of our favored memory.” Very good point Lee Ann! Sometimes for me a favorite bottle can’t even live up to the original great memory.
    As for Glen Grant, I’ve had a sample of SMWS 9.148 Mustard custard and musk, a 21y and loved it. I ended up getting a bottle and I’ll eventually get around to opening it one day. As for the discontinued 16y, after hearing the S4Ds talk about it I found one at my local store. Another rainy day bottle for the future. And now for the new 15y, if I see it I’ll know it’s worth picking up, and I may just need do that for comparison purposes. Thanks for the great write up!
    Cheers,
    -George

    1. Lee Ann

      Oh, George! I can’t imagine how wonderful that SMWS will be! As always, thanks for your comments and support!

  6. Christine Deems

    Really appreciate your review on the Glen Grant 15 and, as always, the gorgeous photography! There will always be new whisk(e)y to try and maybe become a new favorite, but sometimes it’s not easy to say goodbye. Cheers!

    1. Lee Ann

      Thanks, Christine. All the new whiskies make this “journey” such a fun ride!

  7. Christopher Warren

    Like you I found a GG 16 and really enjoyed it. So when I saw the GG15 batch strength I picked it up. I haven’t opened it yet, but I will. I enjoyed your review. Last time I was at one of my DC stores, they still had another bottle of the GG 16 left, perhaps I will go pick it up before it is gone.

    1. Lee Ann

      Thanks, Chris! Grab that bottle while you can. Thanks to our awesome whisky community I have a line on another 16. When I do I’ll be sure to have my special coin present to toast in your honor! Slainte, friend!

Comments are closed.