New Release: GlenGrant 1998-2016 18 Year Old Official Distillery Edition #23113 58.6%

While there were some rough edges, this Grant was elegant and rich with a special sense of occasion. GlenGrant GLENGRANT 1998-2016 18yo OB DISTILLERY EDITION #23113 58.6% one of 350 bottles The aroma is elegant, with notes of orange marmalade, ripe apricot, heated apple, vanilla, coconut, cinnamon, a gradual sense of barley, and woody characteristics reminiscent of raw wood. When drinking, it has viscosity with spiciness, marmalade and apple pie, honey-like sweetness, and a rich, slightly oily finish with woody characteristics and a slight bitterness. [Good/Very Good] This is a 18-year-old GlenGrant 1998, released as a Distillery Edition during this year's trip to Scotland. From the first impression, the aroma is elegant with a strong sense of fruitiness, including not only concentrated orange but also nuances of apricot and apple. The honey-like, rich sweetness was also a pleasant surprise. While clearly exhibiting good bourbon cask elements like orange, vanilla, and coconut, there was also a occasional sensation of new oak bitterness or raw wood-like sharpness reminiscent of strongly flavored bourbon casks. Whether this depth of flavor is seen as a positive or a negative depends on the drinker's preference. Interestingly, when I drank it in Scotland, the pencil shavings-like bitterness and sharpness were too strong for me to find it enjoyable. However, after returning home, I found it delicious while still sensing the rough edges. Normally, one would expect to enjoy it more when drinking locally, but this might be influenced by what was consumed before and after, as well as one's physical condition.