The Glen Grant ups its game in the rare whisky segment with a 65 year-old single malt 

Scotch whisky maker The Glen Grant has strengthened its presence in the rare and limited edition spirits space with its newly-launched Splendours Collection. Kickstarting the collection, which comprises some of the rarest whiskies from the Rothes distillery, is The Glen Grant 65-Year-Old.

Distilled in 1958 and matured for more than six decades in a single French oak butt, The Glen Grant 65 Year Old is bottled at cask strength at 55.5% abv. A total of 151 decanters, which are priced at $67,300 (US$50,000) each,  are available worldwide. 25 of them have been allocated for the APAC region, of which about 12 of them are reserved for customers from Singapore. 

Speaking to The Peak at the whisky’s global launch event in Hong Kong, Greig Stables, The Glen Grant’s Master Distiller shares that he has been keeping a close eye on the cask that had been stored in Warehouse No.4, the distillery’s oldest traditional stone dunnage warehouse, over the past decade. 

He says: “We have got a couple of older casks in our warehouse and I have been keeping a close eye on this cask for the past 10 years. It has kept its strength very well at 55.5% abv and met the sweet spot of being part of The Glen Grant’s DNA. The rich dark fruit flavours have not been overpowered by the wood of the cask and have been retained over the years.”

The Glen Grant 65 Year Old offers sweet aromas of treacle, ripe blackberries and a hint of sandalwood on the nose. Its tasting notes reveal vibrant orange and black cherries flavour, layered with an indulgent fruit cake and dates flavours that The Glen Grant whiskies are known for. The delicate finish comprises notes of citrus, spice, oak and a subtle hint of smoke. 

Stables, who took over the role from long-time master distiller and whisky legend, Dennis Malcom last June, adds: “Although distilled back in 1958, the methods remain almost entirely the same today reflecting the legacy of our forefathers. This whisky captures a lifetime of flavour and character from its journey in a single French oak butt. This time has created a magnificent single malt, which despite its lengthy union in oak, retains the distinct and singular character of The Glen Grant.”

The exquisite mahogany-hued whisky is housed in an objet d’art - a flowing Mobius strip seed pod-shaped  sculptural case by long-time collaborator, Glasgow-based design studio, John Galvin Design and made of wood sourced from the distillery’s Garden of Splendour, a lush botanical garden of sorts started by its founder, Major James Grant. The glass bottle, made by Scottish glass studio Glasstorm,  is engraved with emblems of Himalayan Blue Poppies, which is the brand’s logo. The iconic flower is grown iin the distillery’s gardens.

 
Held in conjunction with Art Basel in Hong Kong, the launch also saw a specially commissioned performance by renowned post-digital art group Random International. It created drawings of seasonal plants and flowers that are found in the Gardens of Splendours with its Pixelography technique, which transforms digitally-sourced data into hand-painted masterpieces.  

With the launch of its Spendours Collection, The Glen Grant is stepping up its focus on the ultra-luxury market with an upper tier of collectible Scotch, like The Glen Grant 65 Year Old. There will be upcoming releases once every two years in the Splendours Collection. 

In recent years, The Glen Grant, which is owned by the Campari Group, has rolled out highly-limited single malt releases such as its oldest one (yet), the Devotion 70 Year Old, which was made in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II in September 2023.