Glen Garioch 1978 / 30 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Amira Benali — A proper old Highland dram

8/10

Glen Garioch doesn't get the hype it deserves and this 1978 vintage proves it. Rich sherry notes, beeswax, and a long finish with stewed plums and a hint of smoke. I drink it neat with a tiny splash of water to tame that 57.8%. Not cheap at £950 but try finding another 30-year-old at cask strength for less.

Freya Lindqvist — A proper old Highland dram

8/10

Glen Garioch doesn't get the hype it deserves and this 1978 vintage proves it. Rich sherry notes, beeswax, and a long finish with stewed plums and a hint of smoke. I drink it neat with a tiny splash of water to tame that 57.8%. Not cheap at £950 but try finding another 30-year-old at cask strength for less.

Tomas Rivera — A proper old Highland dram

8/10

Glen Garioch doesn't get the hype it deserves and this 1978 vintage proves it. Rich sherry notes, beeswax, and a long finish with stewed plums and a hint of smoke. I drink it neat with a tiny splash of water to tame that 57.8%. Not cheap at £950 but try finding another 30-year-old at cask strength for less.

Ayako Hirano — Great but not quite legendary

7/10

I wanted to love this more than I did. The nose is spectacular — dark toffee, raisins, polished oak — but the palate didn't quite deliver the same complexity. Still a very good whisky and the cask strength is welcome, but at nearly a grand I've had bottles half the price that moved me more.

Tyler Bennet — Great but not quite legendary

7/10

I wanted to love this more than I did. The nose is spectacular — dark toffee, raisins, polished oak — but the palate didn't quite deliver the same complexity. Still a very good whisky and the cask strength is welcome, but at nearly a grand I've had bottles half the price that moved me more.

Olivia Wong — Great but not quite legendary

7/10

I wanted to love this more than I did. The nose is spectacular — dark toffee, raisins, polished oak — but the palate didn't quite deliver the same complexity. Still a very good whisky and the cask strength is welcome, but at nearly a grand I've had bottles half the price that moved me more.

Suki Patel — A proper old Highland dram

8/10

Glen Garioch doesn't get the hype it deserves and this 1978 vintage proves it. Rich sherry notes, beeswax, and a long finish with stewed plums and a hint of smoke. I drink it neat with a tiny splash of water to tame that 57.8%. Not cheap at £950 but try finding another 30-year-old at cask strength for less.

Andre Dubois — A proper old Highland dram

8/10

Glen Garioch doesn't get the hype it deserves and this 1978 vintage proves it. Rich sherry notes, beeswax, and a long finish with stewed plums and a hint of smoke. I drink it neat with a tiny splash of water to tame that 57.8%. Not cheap at £950 but try finding another 30-year-old at cask strength for less.

Jorge Castillo — Liquid history

9/10

Distilled the year I was born so I had to try it. This is old-school Highland single malt at its finest — waxy, fruity, with marmalade and toasted nuts that just linger forever. The high ABV carries all those flavours without any burn. Shared it with three mates and nobody said a word for about a minute after the first sip.

Sophie Brennan — Liquid history

9/10

Distilled the year I was born so I had to try it. This is old-school Highland single malt at its finest — waxy, fruity, with marmalade and toasted nuts that just linger forever. The high ABV carries all those flavours without any burn. Shared it with three mates and nobody said a word for about a minute after the first sip.

Dmitri Volkov — Liquid history

9/10

Distilled the year I was born so I had to try it. This is old-school Highland single malt at its finest — waxy, fruity, with marmalade and toasted nuts that just linger forever. The high ABV carries all those flavours without any burn. Shared it with three mates and nobody said a word for about a minute after the first sip.

Gianluca Ferro — Great but not quite legendary

7/10

I wanted to love this more than I did. The nose is spectacular — dark toffee, raisins, polished oak — but the palate didn't quite deliver the same complexity. Still a very good whisky and the cask strength is welcome, but at nearly a grand I've had bottles half the price that moved me more.

Emily Thomas — Great but not quite legendary

7/10

I wanted to love this more than I did. The nose is spectacular — dark toffee, raisins, polished oak — but the palate didn't quite deliver the same complexity. Still a very good whisky and the cask strength is welcome, but at nearly a grand I've had bottles half the price that moved me more.

Nia Okafor — Liquid history

9/10

Distilled the year I was born so I had to try it. This is old-school Highland single malt at its finest — waxy, fruity, with marmalade and toasted nuts that just linger forever. The high ABV carries all those flavours without any burn. Shared it with three mates and nobody said a word for about a minute after the first sip.

Yuki Nakamura — Liquid history

9/10

Distilled the year I was born so I had to try it. This is old-school Highland single malt at its finest — waxy, fruity, with marmalade and toasted nuts that just linger forever. The high ABV carries all those flavours without any burn. Shared it with three mates and nobody said a word for about a minute after the first sip.

Derek Chang — Worth every penny at cask strength

9/10

Picked this up at auction and finally cracked it open for my 50th. At 57.8% it's a beast but add a few drops of water and it opens into this gorgeous wave of dried fruit, old leather, and honeycomb. Thirty years in the cask and you can taste every single one of them. One of the best old-style Highlands I've ever had.

Mei-Lin Wu — Worth every penny at cask strength

9/10

Picked this up at auction and finally cracked it open for my 50th. At 57.8% it's a beast but add a few drops of water and it opens into this gorgeous wave of dried fruit, old leather, and honeycomb. Thirty years in the cask and you can taste every single one of them. One of the best old-style Highlands I've ever had.

Victor Osei — Worth every penny at cask strength

9/10

Picked this up at auction and finally cracked it open for my 50th. At 57.8% it's a beast but add a few drops of water and it opens into this gorgeous wave of dried fruit, old leather, and honeycomb. Thirty years in the cask and you can taste every single one of them. One of the best old-style Highlands I've ever had.

Zara Al-Hassan — Worth every penny at cask strength

9/10

Picked this up at auction and finally cracked it open for my 50th. At 57.8% it's a beast but add a few drops of water and it opens into this gorgeous wave of dried fruit, old leather, and honeycomb. Thirty years in the cask and you can taste every single one of them. One of the best old-style Highlands I've ever had.

Ethan Cooper — Worth every penny at cask strength

9/10

Picked this up at auction and finally cracked it open for my 50th. At 57.8% it's a beast but add a few drops of water and it opens into this gorgeous wave of dried fruit, old leather, and honeycomb. Thirty years in the cask and you can taste every single one of them. One of the best old-style Highlands I've ever had.