Tasting official Glen Keith from the vintage 1998
Does anyone remember this charming little official release of Glen Keith single malt whisky? Releases from this rather unknown distillery are hard to come by, besides the offerings of independent bottlers. If you have not ever tried one, you are missing out, as Glen Keith produces quite a versatile spirit that performs well under many circumstances, including the more violent sherry casks. We tasted a spectacular 1971 vintage here. On my recent trip to Speyside, I managed to obtain another official release. Still rare, but too good to pass up on, despite a hefty price. The staff at The Glenlivet refused to let me taste the whisky, as I indicated I was driving and they were very right to refuse me, but I was allowed to sniff the uncorked bottle. That was enough to pull me in! Tasting note below.
Unlike its relative in the city of Keith, being Strathisla, the Glen Keith Distillery does not have a long and documented history. I consulted some reliable sources like John Lamond and Michael Jackson, but the input is modest. We know the buildings were originally an oat mill from an unknown age, and apparently a good location to convert into a distillery. This happened at the end of the 1950s. For the initial years, triple distillation was intended, but they used a normal double distillation from 1970 onwards. Glen Keith does have the distinction that it utilized the first gasfired stills in the industry. In fact, Glen Keith was the first distillery to be built after the economic highs of the late 1890s. Also computers, a fairly new commodity back in the day, were first used at this Speyside production plant. Most output was destined to end up in the Passport blend. The stills have unusually long and descending lyne arms. All in all, there are quite some nice facts surrounding this little-known distillery.
Fast forward to the current day situation, we consult the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2026. Glen Keith has actually been closed for quite some years, between 1999 and 2012 to be exact. Only in 2013 did the distillery come into full production again, with the maximum capacity being 6 million litres per year. With other workhorses in the portfolio, like the equally obscure names like Braeval and Allt-a-Bhainne, and now also Dalmunach as the successor to the demolished Imperial Distillery, owner Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard) can make a lot of bulk for their blends. It also begs the question if all these distilleries will keep on running in the years to come, or if a new bag of mothballs is opened.
Glen Keith 22 years old, vintage 1998, bottled at 56,1 % abv
First things first: A bottling in the Distillery Reserve Collection, a series of single casks and/or small batches of distilleries owned by the Chivas Group of malt distilleries. There have been amazing releases in this collection, which can only be bought at the visitor centres of Strathisla, Aberlour and The Glenlivet. Your only chance to grab an official Dalmunach or, indeed, the following Glen Keith. Second fill butt # 69720 produced 660 half litre bottles. Distilled 12 May 1998 and bottled on 19 August 2020.
Upon Sipping: Beautiful sherried nose, no doubt about that, very confidently opening with orange zest and raisins, before getting more complex when you swirl the liquid around a little. Gets a bit acidic, with some lemons, but nothing to unbalance the oranges. Some cinnamon when we deeply try, hints of clove. We will return after adding some water. The arrival on the palate is pleasantly oily, soft, with gentle chocolate notes covering the tongue. It becomes hotter as you keep it on the tongue, but swallowing is a pleasure, as it unleashes a beautiful tropical note amidst the heavy wood flavours. This already lifts it above average, that little fruit tease towards the end.
We go easy with the water, just a tiny drop is enough to change what we have in the glass. Autumnal leaves, wet tree bark, a hint of peaches and other fruits. Undiluted is better for the nose, but on the tongue the silkiness is attractive too. I am most impressed by the fruity exit after you have been overwhelmed by a strong wood signature. A second fill butt is something else, as we notice, even though the cask still gave off a nice golden colour to the liquid.
Word to the Wise: A beautiful balanced single cask of Glen Keith. Always in the shadow in the more famous distilleries in Keith, namely Strathisla and perhaps also Strathmill, but that is perhaps wrong. The best whisky made in Keith could well come from this distillery. This little bottling makes a case for it.
Score: 89 points.