GLEN ORD 86/100

.... a robust northern highlander with a great reputation amongst the Blenders for the balance it brings to Blends, Diageo bottle it therefore the Malt signature of the 12 y.o. is a bit off-key due to the 'branding'
however, older Glen Ord's are worth the effort, with a Malt signature of wood, wood-spice, nuts and great under-stated balance.
Glen Ord 12 y.o. 88/100

feb '09 - official 12 y.o. now discontinued, so will be a modest collectors item.

GLEN MORAY 88/100

...... a secretive speysider which rarely seems to get any fuss about it, Why? don't know but perhaps it's because we have a quiet Malt,
no drum rolls or fanfares,
just a decent working, sensitive, peat-less, grassy,
fresh-fruited, barley'd, Malt that surprises and rewards when you eventually catch up with it.
Glen Moray 86/100

GLENMORANGIE 84/100

... this engaging northern highlander has been the biggest selling Malt in Scotland for years, due mainly to consistent quality and refined complexity at a relatively young age.
The Malt at ten years has an engaging balance of floral,citrus,spice, nuts and fruit, and this balance is the key! ..... a french perfumier identified 26 separate aromas from this Malt, ......... ooh ! la! la!.
I won't try to narrow down the taste basics, I recommend you try it as an affordable whisky lesson.
Recently this Malt was purchased along with Ardbeg by L.V.M.H. who specialize in luxury 'Brands'.
I suspect standards will fall,
time will tell.
Glenmorangie 10 y.o. 91/100

Feb'10 - well, dispite my doom and gloom, standards havn't fallen yet, although I find the Glenmorangie 'Original' worth 87/100 and some very pretty bottles on shop shelves.

GLEN MHOR 85/100

............ CLOSED 1983
... this characterful highland Malt from Inverness was part of a twin Distillery operation with Glen Albyn, however, being old, charming and making good Malt was no protection from closure, and now the distillery is a shopping centre.
.............. lovely!
The taste is considered nutty, cereal and malty, and surviving bottlings have had the advantage of time in refill, old (traditional) casks, and therefore, the provenance is good, and the experience ..... probably positive.

Bottles of heritage.....
collectors ahoy !!!

GLENLOSSIE 85/100

...... medium-weight speysider, churning out the Malt for Diageo's Blends.
Not a lot of this whisky out there, although (as usual) the Indi's come to the rescue if you want to try some of this.
It seems to be well regarded as a medium-intense, heather-honey concoction with flurries of barley and spice.
Glenlossie 1993 (Murray McDavid) 84/100

GLENLOCHY 86/100

..... CLOSED 1983
. this characterful highland distillery with it's love-me/hate-me Malt
had a colourful period when a cow-boy (yee! haa!) bought it, then got bored and wanted a Cattle Ranch around Ben Nevis, (yip-i-yee!!) then no-one was interested in poor old Glen Lochy and it was shut forever. (Aw!)
But, fear not, this intense, citrus/gingery/woody bruiser may still be found lurking on the dusty shelves of some Indi bottlers.
Glen Lochy 26 y.o. (D Taylor Ltd) 91/100

GLENLIVIT 85/100

..... big speysider with big heritage.
Never has a Malt stood so high up on it's plinth,
never has it looked more insecure !!!
anyway, many moons ago distilling was a fusion of civil disobedience and moonshine !, then this geezer got a licence to legally make the stuff and the stuff was amazing, then he made shits-loads a money and people hated him for being a 'scab' so he got two lovely pistols and shot a peat fire in an Inn and made more money 'cos his stuff was brilliant, then other Malts wanted to be his Malt and called their Malts "Theirs and his Malt"
and it still happens today with Indi bottlers 'cos pointless tradition helps sell stuff.
Modern Glenlivits are O.K. ranging from good to awful, and older Glenlivits, if you can find any are frequently stunning!
Glenlivit 15 y.o. (french oak) 77/100
Glenlivit 37 y.o. (Lonach) 95/100

Feb'10 have been told the Nadurra versions are good but still to try for myself, but in the meanwhile I have tasted the Standard 12yo 84/100