This is the 2020 release of Glenkinchie Distillers Edition, a Lowland single malt distilled in 2008 and given a second maturation in Amontillado sherry casks. The nutty, dry sherry wood adds weight to a spirit that is naturally light and grassy.
About This Whisky
Distillers Edition is Diageo's annual double-matured version of each Classic Malt. For this bottling, Glenkinchie filled in 2008 spent most of its life in American oak before being moved into casks seasoned with Amontillado, a dry, nutty sherry style. It was bottled in 2020 at 43% ABV, so it is about 12 years old, in line with the core 12 Year Old but with a darker, more savoury edge.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Vanilla, malted barley and hazelnut, with honeyed dates and a light floral note behind.
- Palate: Medium bodied and malty, showing baked apple, raisin and toasted nuts, then a dry sherry tang.
- Finish: Fairly long and dry, with oak spice and fresh ground pepper.
Serving & Food
A splash of cool water at room temperature suits it, served in a Glencairn or a small rocks glass. It also works over one large cube on a warm evening. Try it with honey-roast ham, Manchego with quince paste, or a plate of salted almonds.
How to Enjoy
Anyone who likes lighter Scotch but wants more depth, and fans of the Classic Malts who are working through the Distillers Edition series.
Product Details
Distillery: Glenkinchie
Expression: Distillers Edition
Vintage/bottling: 2008 / 2020
Age: About 12 years
Region: Lowlands, Scotland
Double maturation: Amontillado-seasoned casks
Owner: Diageo
ABV / Strength: 43% ABV
Bottle size / Format: 700mL
About the Distillery
Glenkinchie sits in farmland outside Pencaitland in East Lothian, roughly half an hour from Edinburgh, and is often called the Edinburgh Malt. Its roots go back to 1825, when the farming brothers John and George Rate distilled here as the Milton Distillery; the name Glenkinchie, after the Kinchie Burn, followed in 1837. The site closed in 1853, spent years as a sawmill and was rebuilt in 1881.
In 1914 it joined four other Lowland distilleries to form Scottish Malt Distillers, the line that leads to today's owner, Diageo. The still house holds just one pair of stills, but the wash still is among the largest in Scotland, and the spirit is cooled in a cast-iron worm tub, which keeps some texture in an otherwise delicate make.