Description
Finn Thomson Glen Garioch 1988 36 Years Old Single Malt Whisky
There is always something incredibly special about bottling a whisky from a bygone era. And this 36 year old Glen Garioch is exactly that. Distilled in 1988, this cask was filled at a time when Glen Garioch was still producing a peated style of spirit. The early 1990s saw the boom of single malt whiskies with blends slowly taking a back seat and Glen Garioch evolved its production style to focus on making an unpeated whisky instead.
The old Glen Garioch had a wonderfully rugged charm, firm, earthy, and distinctly smoky. There was a waxy depth to it, with malty sweetness, gentle peat, and a dry, herbal edge that spoke of the old floor maltings and coal-fired stills. It was a whisky with real Highland grit, full of texture and character you simply don’t find today.
The old peated style was lost to time and there are just a handful of casks from this era that still give drinkers an insight into this lost style of Glen Garioch. This cask is a reminder of how the Scotch Whisky industry changes with time. While the names and stories may all stand the test of time, it is worth remembering the liquid produced is ever evolving with the times. No two casks are ever the same which is the true beauty of rare single cask whisky.
At 36 years of age there is just a gentle wisp of smoke. The long maturation has resulted in a whisky with an explosion of umami flavours - smoked nuts, cured meats and brown butter all hint at the impressive age of this cask. There is an oily mouthfeel also that is only possible to find in such well aged whiskies.
Story
Finn Thomson is a Scotch whisky independent bottler that is 300 years in the making. Since James Thomsons illicit potstill in the 1700s, the Thomson family has pursued a different element of whisky through the ages – distilling, blending, trading, selling – helping to shape the very story of Scotch itself.
With three centuries of family whisky history and personal tutelage from some of the most respected names in the Scottish whisky industry, Finn may stand on the shoulders of giants. But the weight of decision rests on his own.
Finn is responsible for calling the moment when a whisky’s flavours are at their finest; quirks and eccentricities at their most beguiling. Whether it’s a decades-old cask from the family collection or an entirely new creation, this is art as much as science. Wood, water and weather have had their say. The only guides that count now are taste, scent and intuition.
Origin : Highland, Scotland
Type： Whisky
Distillery : Glen Garioch
Bottler : Finn Thomson
Vintage : 1988
Bottled : 2025
Age : 36 Years
Cask Type : Bourbon Barrel
Cask Number : 157714
Number of bottles : 110 bottles
Alcohol : 45.2%
Bottle Size : 700 ml
