Causing confusion since 1797, Glen Garioch (yes it really is pronounced glen-GHEE-ree) has been responsible for a significant proportion of Scottish bartenders’ wry smirks in recent decades, since showing prominence as a frequently ordered single malt.

Its name is Doric, which is an entirely incomprehensible dialect spoken in Aberdeenshire in Scotland, where men are ‘loons’ and women are ‘quines’, and where walking down the street, a sharp “fit like” is a genuinely friendly salutation. It all sounds odd, but these unique pastures represent the birthplace and heritage of Alexander Murray & Co.

Perhaps a little biased, it goes without saying that Glen Garioch Distillery is a real favorite within the company. It is located in the sleepy town of Old Meldrum in the Highland region. Backed by real substance, its single malt is that rich malty/smoky combination that hits it home every time. Thick, sweet, lively, luscious… we need not say more.

Worth noting is that through change of ownership during the mid 1990s, use of peat in production was ceased, meaning that vintages after 1995 are unpeated and display a delicate character. We hear there’s the odd peated run these days, so let’s see how that develops. Get the older expressions while they last!