First Impressions
Glengoyne 18 — from Scotland's slowest distillation. Air-dried, unpeated barley through unhurried copper pot stills. The only fully unpeated Highland malt, distilling since 1833 at Dumgoyne, north of Glasgow. The distillery sits right on the Highland Line — technically Highland, but its warehouses are in the Lowlands.
The Sherry Commitment
100% sherry oak maturation — a mix of first-fill and refill Oloroso sherry casks. Replaced the 17 Year Old in 2012. The combination of unpeated spirit and exclusive sherry maturation creates a whisky that's all about fruit, sweetness, and oak — no smoke to distract.
Tasting
Vanilla and honeycomb nose with butterscotch and orange marmalade. Creamy toffee palate with marzipan, red berries, and warm baking spice. The finish fades with gentle oak and dark chocolate. The slow distillation creates a remarkably clean, rounded character.
The Verdict
Glengoyne 18 earns an 8 — a beautifully balanced, unpeated Highland malt with 100% sherry oak influence. At £120, it sits at the affordable end for an 18-year-old Scotch. The slow distillation and sherry commitment create something genuinely refined. Pure fruit, sweetness, and oak — nothing else needed.
