It’s been a little while since we’ve been offered a Society Glen Elgin – this one had come from a refill ex-bourbon barrel after 13 years of maturation.
Nose: No messing about – all the lemons. Lemon curd, peels and jelly - all very fresh, crisp and lively. Balled melon and white grapes support alongside white jelly babies, Chantilly cream and a scattering of crumbled lady finger biscuits. The addition of water adds a welcome fizz of sherbet and rolled pastry together with a selection of lychee and kiwi fruit.
Taste: Great development here. Opening on tangy lemons and apple peels the journey heads spice-wards with white pepper and charred cask heads sitting alongside crackerbread and freshly baked biscuits. Water transposes the whisky into a more creamy composition – piped buns, single cream and crumbled digestives, together with a palpable tang of salinity.
Finish: Medium to long and well-seasoned by both salt and pepper with mentholated oak and lemon gel fading pleasantly.
A honed and rather chiselled Glen Elgin that is most certainly lemon-focussed. Bright, lively and fresh throughout and very welcoming to dilution. Lots to like here.