Glengoyne 10 Review: A Real Crowd-Pleaser

The Scottish whisky brand Glengoyne is no newcomer. Whisky has been distilled here since 1833 at a distillery straddling the border between the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands. Curious how Glengoyne 10 tastes? You’ll find out in our review.

The valley (glen) lies on a migratory route for wild geese, which inspired the name. Goyne means geese in Gaelic.

In the 1960s, there was even a scarecrow in a Scottish kilt posted by the barley stores to keep the geese at bay.

These days you’ll see fewer geese and more visitors. Thanks to its location on the Highland–Lowland border, the distillery is easily reached from cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh.

A visit is well worth your time. There’s plenty to experience. You can take a tour through the production process, and there’s a large tasting room with stunning views of the hills behind Glengoyne.

The on-site shop is spacious and well stocked. Do be careful when buying bottles, though. Due to local taxes, prices are often higher than in the Netherlands.

The core range whiskies from Glengoyne are easy to find throughout the Netherlands, so there’s no need to lug pricey bottles home.

Since you’re officially only allowed to bring one bottle of spirits per person into the Netherlands, you might be better off investing in something special from one of the many whisky shops in Glasgow or Edinburgh. Or treat yourself to a distinctive Glengoyne like the Teapot Dram, recently featured on the Whisky Weekend Show.

Because Glengoyne has been around so long, there’s a fine range of age-statement whiskies available. The entry point is the 10-year-old, which takes center stage today.

Glengoyne is known for its slow distillation, roughly three times slower than most, resulting in a softer, fruitier character.

The whisky then rests for several years in European sherry casks and American oak.

The core range continues from 10 years to 12, 15, 18, and up to 30 years. At that point you’re looking at a bottle around a thousand euros, definitely not one to drown in cola.

The whisky shows a lovely golden hue and a fresh, lightly sweet nose. The palate is sweet and fruity, but above all fresh. Less creamy and vanilla-driven than many others. Apple notes clearly shine through.

A few drops of water deepen the flavors nicely.

The finish is pleasant and sweet. Our tip: give the whisky some time. Let the dram sit in the glass for 10 minutes before sipping so the flavors can open up.

Finally, at 40% ABV it’s very approachable. Don’t be fooled by the lower strength, the whisky is rich in flavor. It might have been even better at a higher ABV, but considering the price, the value for money is spot on.

This is a classic Scottish single malt with broad appeal. It’s widely available and reasonably priced.

+        Delicious, classic Scottish single malt

+          Easy to find and affordable

+          Long, full finish

-       A slightly higher ABV, say 43% or 46%, could have delivered even more flavor