Crisp and complex aromas balance dry wine notes with sweet, nutty barley and hints of cask wood.
Palate
Sweet malt and biscuit notes develop into warming spices, with rich dried-fruit flavours of raisins and dates. A delicate grapey sweetness blends with oak and spice.
Finish
A long, dry and oaky finish with subtle white pepper spice and a lingering hint of caramel.
About this whisky
Glenkinchie Distillers Edition: The Edinburgh Malt, Finished in Amontillado Sherry
Lowland whisky is famous for being light, floral and elegant. Glenkinchie Distillers Edition keeps all of that and adds a layer of nutty, spicy depth. After maturing in American oak, it is finished in casks that once held Amontillado, a dry, nutty sherry from southern Spain. The result is a whisky that balances biscuity malt sweetness and soft fruit with toasted nuts, grape and a long, dry, peppery finish.
It comes from Glenkinchie, known as “The Edinburgh Malt”, just 15 miles from Scotland’s capital, and is released in limited quantities each year.
Bottle at a Glance
Distillery: Glenkinchie, Pencaitland, East Lothian, Scotland
Region: Lowland
Casks: Re-charred American oak, finished in Amontillado sherry casks
Style: Light, malty, nutty and dry, with no noticeable smoke
Owner: Diageo
What Makes the Distillers Edition Special?
A light Lowland spirit
Glenkinchie’s spirit is light, floral and gently fruity, the classic Lowland style. It is cooled in a traditional cast-iron worm tub, an old-fashioned condenser that helps give the spirit extra body and character.
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The Amontillado finish
After its first maturation in re-charred American oak, the whisky is moved into casks seasoned with Amontillado sherry. Amontillado sits between a pale, dry Fino and a rich, dark Oloroso: it is amber, dry and nutty, with hints of toasted almond and hazelnut. Rather than making the whisky sweet, it adds nuttiness, grape and spice, and a drier, longer finish.
Vintage-dated, released once a year
Diageo has released Distillers Editions every year since 1997. Each one shows its distillation and bottling years on the label, and recent Glenkinchie editions have spent around 12 years in oak. Every distillery in the range uses a different finishing cask, and for Glenkinchie it is always Amontillado.
Glenkinchie Distillers Edition Tasting Notes
Nose
Brisk and complex, balancing sweet and dry. Firm grape notes meet the nutty sweetness of malted barley and oak, with hints of honey and green apple.
Palate
An early biscuit sweetness turns dry, with a strong malty character, light grape fruitiness and toasted nuts.
Finish
Very long, dry and oaky, with a faint peppery spice.
This is a whisky for anyone who prefers dry and nutty to rich and sweet. If you enjoy a glass of dry sherry or a crisp white wine, you will feel right at home with it.
How to Enjoy It
Neat
Pour a measure into a nosing glass and give it a minute. The balance of malt, grape and nuts shows best neat.
With a drop of water
A few drops of water soften the dry finish and bring out more fruit and honey.
As an aperitif
Its dry, nutty style makes it a lovely pre-dinner dram, in the same way a glass of dry sherry is enjoyed before a meal.
Food pairing
Glenkinchie suggests its whiskies with seafood, especially sushi and shellfish. The Distillers Edition also works well with salted almonds, Manchego, Parmesan or a charcuterie board.
The Story of Glenkinchie
The Edinburgh Malt
Glenkinchie sits in a quiet glen of the Kinchie Burn near the village of Pencaitland in East Lothian, about 15 miles (a 35-minute drive) from Edinburgh. It is surrounded by the rich farmland that once supplied its barley, which is why it has long been known as “The Edinburgh Malt”. If you’re planning a visit, see our guide to Edinburgh whisky tours.
From distillery to sawmill and back
Brothers John and George Rate opened their first distillery nearby in 1825 and built Glenkinchie on its current site in 1837. They went bankrupt in 1853, and for a time the site became a sawmill. In 1881 a group of Edinburgh investors led by Major James Grey brought it back to life, and it has been making whisky ever since.
A giant wash still
Glenkinchie has one wash still and one spirit still. Its wash still is one of the largest in Scotland, and its spirit is cooled in a traditional cast-iron worm tub.
A Classic Malt
The distillery’s old maltings closed in 1968 and became a museum, including a scale model of a working distillery built in 1925. In 1998 Glenkinchie was chosen to represent the Lowlands in Diageo’s Classic Malts collection, and today its redbrick Victorian buildings host a modern visitor experience. Its 12 Year Old was named Best Lowland Single Malt at the 2013 World Whiskies Awards.
Who Will Love This Bottle?
Fans of light, elegant whisky who want a bit more depth.
Dry sherry and white wine lovers curious about cask-finished whisky.
Collectors of the annual Distillers Edition series.
Visitors to Edinburgh looking for a whisky from the capital’s own malt distillery.
Similar Whiskies You Might Enjoy
If you like the mix of a light, unpeated spirit and a fortified-wine cask finish, try these:
Cragganmore Distillers Edition: its unpeated sibling in the Distillers Edition range, a richer Speyside malt finished in port casks.
Aberlour 12 Year Old Double Cask: an unpeated Speyside 12 year old from traditional oak and sherry casks, with red apple, toffee and chocolate.
Amontillado is a dry, amber sherry from southern Spain, known for its nutty flavour. Casks seasoned with it add nuttiness, grape and spice to whisky without making it very sweet.
Is Glenkinchie Distillers Edition smoky?
No. It is a light Lowland malt with no noticeable smoke. Its flavours are malty, nutty, fruity and dry.
What is a Lowland whisky?
Lowland whiskies come from the south of Scotland, below the Highland line. They are usually light, floral and gentle, and there are fewer Lowland distilleries than in other regions.
How is it different from Glenkinchie 12?
The 12 Year Old is the distillery’s classic bottling, light and floral. The Distillers Edition adds an Amontillado sherry finish, which makes it nuttier, spicier and drier.
Is the Distillers Edition limited?
Yes. It is released once a year in limited quantities, with the distillation and bottling years on the label.
Who owns Glenkinchie?
Glenkinchie is owned by Diageo, the drinks group behind Johnnie Walker.
You must be 18 or over to buy alcohol. Please enjoy responsibly.
