Review: Glengoyne White Oak and White Oak 24 Years Old

Glengoyne Whisky recently launched a new series of expressions of its Highland Single Malt — the White Oak range, which is itself the first set of releases in a new series called the Oak Masters’ Series.

White Oak is aged in a combination of ex-bourbon and virgin oak casks — all quercus alba sourced from North America. Details on the mix of casks and whether the aging process involves all spirits aging in one cask type and finishing in another (which is my assumption) — or some other aging arrangement — have not been provided. This is particularly interesting because Glengoyne is known for leaning heavily on sherry casks, so a more bourbon barrel-forward release is a major shift for the brand.

A further curiosity is that White Oak is available in just two expressions, a NAS edition which will be a permanent addition to the core lineup and a 24 year old which will be highly limited.

Let’s taste.

Glengoyne White Oak Review

This soft whisky shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with bourbon barrel-aged single malt Scotch, though it’s clear this spirit has been crafted with grace and care. The nose features the hallmarks of the style — vanilla, apple butter, sesame, and almond nougat in a swirl. There’s a little heat here thanks to the 48% abv, but this works well in amplifying the spicier elements in the whisky, which pops with cinnamon and nutmeg.

The palate has a slightly stronger fruit component — again, big with apples, but also showing a little citrus, which is a surprise. Chocolate is a key flavor element that develops with time, along with lemon curd and some toasted coconut notes. Oak is present but never overdone; any tannin from the virgin oak has been tempered for the most part, though there’s a beefy quality that develops with sustained time in glass. All told, it’s well-rounded and vibrant, drinking well above its price band. The only aspect that’s even remotely off-putting is an astringent menthol note on the finish that adds a slight harshness to the proceedings. 96 proof. A- / $60

Glengoyne White Oak 24 Years Old Review

This well-aged version of the NAS White Oak has a lot going for it — and a surprising amount of similarity, to boot.

Those up-front notes of nougat, sesame, apples, and almonds — especially those almonds — are all still in evidence, though the nose has a much stronger perfumed quality and a more evident oak influence. It’s floral and spicy in a way that the NAS expression isn’t, though oddly I didn’t feel like the whisky needed the extra layer of aromatics, ultimately distracting me a bit from the the more enchanting, sweeter through-line.

The palate does not stray from this assessment, featuring again a big bouquet of flowers that give the apple-sesame core a perfumed lift. The chocolate note evident in the NAS expression is here but more akin to white chocolate — quite creamy and luscious, with secondary notes of lemon curd and some grapefruit pith. What’s also evident here is plenty of wood — big, toasty oak notes with a significant layer of char and plenty of that beefiness that’s present in smaller proportions in the entry-level edition. Finishing notes of anise continue the theme, suggesting a whisky that is perhaps just now cresting its way into over-maturity. 95.6 proof. A- / $400

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