Glenkinchie 12 Year Old (70cl, 43%)
This 12 year old Glenkinchie is a bit fuller and more complex replacement for the 10 year old as the main expression of the Lowland style in the Classic Malts range. .
The flagship expression from the Glenkinchie distillery, one of the stalwarts of the Lowlands. A fantastic introduction to the region, Glenkinchie 12 Year Old shows off the characteristic lightness and grassy elements that Lowland whiskies are known for, with nods to cooked fruit and Sauternes wine along the way.
Glenkinchie distillery was built in 1837 by the Rate brothers, who had previously operated another site called Milton, situated nearby. Glenkinchie was expanded to its current size in 1890, under the watch of Major James Grey. In 1914 they formed the Scottish Malt Distillers group, alongside Rosebank, St. Magdalene, Grange and Clydesdale, which in turn was folded into DCL (now Diageo) in 1925. It was an important constituent in many of their blends, particularly Johnnie Walker (of which it now the Lowland 'home' of the brand), and as such, did not have an official single malt brand until 1988, when United Distillers favoured it over Rosebank as the Lowland representative in the Classic Malts stable in 1988.