The Girvan Patent Still adds No. 4 Apps & 30 Year Old

[William]

Following on from the release of The Girvan Patent Still 25 Year Old single grain whisky which was launched exclusively in the UK at the end of last year William Grants & Sons have announced the release of two more single grain whiskies produced at their Girvan grain distillery. The two new single grain expressions are The Girvan Patent Still No. 4 Apps and 30 Year Old.



More info here:
www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/girvanpatentstill30no4apps.htm
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There's no bad whisky. Just good whisky and better whisky.

[Keith]

I did wonder if any of these would be released with a cask finish to add a little character to the grain whisky, doesnt look like it. The tasting note for The Girvan Patent Still No.4 Apps is as you would expect from a young NAS grain whisky. Like you William i will wait until i have tasted it before commenting but £45 is steep for a whisky even the producers describe as having a short finish.

[eelbrook]

I tried both the 25yo and the new 30yo yesterday. Both were lovely whiskies. However, the price points are virtually unprecedented for single grain whiskies of these ages. I hope that they don't lead to 'mirror' prices for the likes of Clan Denny bottlings et al.

[bifter]

From your original release notes for the 25, William:

[albo]

Personally I've never really liked the grain whisky I've tried so I'll be giving these a miss. I will be interesting to see how they are received given the price points

[William]

[James T]

I would be happy to give the NAS a go at £45 if i heard good things about it. I am surprised they didnt throw some sherry cask stuff into the mix to add a bit more to it but i suppose they are trying to show us what an unadulterated grain whisky is like.

[Alastair]

Just an observation, i realise that the image of each bottle is probably a graphic designer's impression of each bottle but the Girvan Patent Still No. 4 Apps, 25 year old and 30 year old look absolutely identical in colour. Have they really added E150a caramel colouring in amounts that make all 3 expressions look identical? As i said just an observation, it is what struck me first when i looked at the images of the bottles.

Having said that the official tasting notes don't mention big toffee notes that can be conversant with some heavy handed addition of E150a caramel colouring although the No. 4 Apps and 30 year old notes are the producer's but the 25 year olds are William's and he does mention some toffee which you would expect given its age and type of cask it matured in.

As always I would assume colouring has been used as there is no mention of any of the whiskies being natural colour, which producers are keen to emphasise when it is natural colour.

I am always on the look out for something new to try so I would happily give the No. 4 Apps a try at £45 a go if I heard some decent reviews. I wouldn't expect any grain whisky to blow me away or for me to declare it as the best whisky ever given my past experience of grain whisky but it can be a very enjoyable easy to drink whisky.

[Kray]

you are probably right Alastair the pics are likely a graphic designer's impression of each bottle,surely in reality they will be a different colour.

[William]

I tasted the new Girvan Patent Still 30 Year Old & No.4 Apps, added tasting notes here:

www.scotchmaltwhisky.co.uk/girvanpatentstill30no4apps.htm

The No.4 Apps is virtually clear in colour and the 30 year old isnt far behind it so the picture of the whiskies will be a graphic designer's impression of each bottle as you say Kray.
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There's no bad whisky. Just good whisky and better whisky.

[GBrough]

I need to move out of the states, all of these releases you guys have shown me makes it hard for me to enjoy the selection here,
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The Laga 16.

It even tastes like an ashtray-WM