Glen Ord 1990’s Bottling - Shelf Review
Shelf Review
Designed to give you all the quick hit information you need when you’re standing in front of your local liquor store’s whisky shelf.
Age: 12 Years
ABV: 80
Cask: Ex-Bourbon and Sherry Casks
MSRP: N/A But purchased for Under $30
Distillery Name: Glen Ord
Review Date: 11/23/20
Color: Dark Honey
Nose: Sweet, smokey, tobacco and leather. The sherry influence mixes well with the underlying smoke with hints of vanilla sweetness presenting on the nose.
Palate: Initially a soft flavor, that eventually picks up steam after a few sips. Rich, complex flavors oscillate from the fruity sherry to a salty sea breeze. Baking spices, lemon peel, and smoke. The longer the whiskey sits on the tongue the mustier, leather and tobacco flavors show up. The whiskey coats the mouth well for 80 proof, with most of the burn occurring on the tip of the tongue rather than the back of the palate. There are darker, richer flavors here than in many 12-year-old expressions currently sold.
Finish: Short to medium finish with tobacco and leather dominating. This is a unique finish that makes this whiskey feel much older than its age statement would indicate.
Final Thoughts: For an 80-proof whiskey, this is very complex. They say they don’t make them like they used to - and in this case – they’re right. A totally enjoyable scotch that mixes sweet with smoke with a lingering leather filled finish that leaves you with an old-world feel. It’s always fun to drink a little bit of history.
It was incredible to walk into a liquor store and find this bottle sitting on the shelf with over 20 years of accumulated dust. It was on the bottom shelf, behind the counter, with all of the other bottom shelf whiskey lined up next to it. I ended up buying them out of the 4 bottles they had, and after opening this up and spending some time with it, I’m happy I did. This blows many of the current 12-year old’s out of the water. And for $28.99, this was my steal of the year.
