Glenbrynth Bourbon Cask Whisky

Today I try the Glenbrynth Bourbon Cask single malt Scotch whisky, a whisky discovery with a bit of a story. A year or three ago, while visiting a whisky show, there was a man in a kilt. Not strange at a whisky show, there are usually quite a few men in kilts.

My favourite Mr Whisky – Pierre Meintjies always wears his kilt to whisky shows. However, this was an African man in a kilt. Not a sight you see very often.

Especially not in Pretoria, where this particular whisky show was being held.  I just had to meet this gentleman and wandered over. His name is Mickey Baloyi. As I was to find out, Mickey is affectionately known in the liquor industry as ‘the African Scot’.

He worked extensively for whisky brands in South Africa and learnt his craft from master blenders in Scotland. Mickey is also a Keeper of the Quaich.

Also Read: Sullivans Cove Bourbon Cask Whisky 

Mickey was standing with a bottle of whisky that I, at that stage, have not seen before – A Glenbrynth. I had to taste it and got the opportunity to taste a few releases from this company. Not much information is available on Glenbrynth, but other releases include:

• Blended malt
• 12 year old blended malt
• 18 year old single malt
• 21 year old single malt
• 28 year old single malt
• 30 year old blended Scotch
• 40 year old blended malt.

The 21 year old single malt and the 30 year old blended whisky impressed me. The Glenbrynth whisky is distilled and matured in Speyside and the Highlands regions from unnamed distilleries. The final product is blended and bottled in Bellshill, Glasgow, Scotland.

The Glenbrynth Bourbon Cask is a limited edition single malt Scotch whisky that was double cask matured – first in traditional American ex-bourbon oak casks and then in first-fill American ex-bourbon oak casks.

Glenbrynth Bourbon Cask Whisky Review

REGION: Scotland

ABV: 43%

COLOUR:Gold with hints of sunset orange

NOSE: The nose on the Bourbon Cask finish is delicate and light with hints of malt, stewed fruit sweetness, caramel and something that reminds me of  sherry sweetness, rather than a bourbon sweetness.  I was hoping for a bit of the traditional bourbon spices of vanilla and toasted oak, but it was not there.

PALATE: The sweetness from the nose does not translate to the palate. On the palate, it is spicy with cinnamon and pepper and some alcohol heat. There are notes of wet wood and old flowers.

Not the most complex dram. After adding water, the heat and spices are softened a bit, but the Glenbrynth Bourbon Cask tastes watered down. There seems to be a hint of milk chocolate that brightens things up a bit.

FINISH: Pepper and caramel sweetness.

RATING: GOOD

After tasting the older releases from this brand, I was expecting something a bit LOT more complex and rewarding.  The Glenbrynth Bourbon Cask is a bit one-sided and lacks depth and complexity. The older releases, however, are excellent.

For some reason, this Bourbon Cask falls short of my expectation, and it might be part of my collection for a rather long time.

This release is available for around R45o in South Africa so definitely in the affordable range. Based on some research Glenbrynth is available in quite a few Southern African countries as well.

The prices are quite reasonable. The Glenbrynth 21 year old whisky retails for around R2 900, the 30 year old for around R 4 000 and the Glenbrynth 40 year old whisky for about R7 000.

Have you tried this release?  Or any other in the Glenbrynth series?

Also Read: Glenfiddich Fire and Cane Whisky