Scotch Whisky Review #323: Chapter 7 Monologue Girvan 30 Year (1991)

Distillery: Girvan.

Bottler: Chapter 7.

Region: Lowland.

Age: 30 Year. Distilled in April 1991. Bottled in April 2021.

ABV: 49.6%. Cask Strength.

Cask Type: Bourbon Cask.

Cask Number: 54689 & 54696

Price: £95.00.

Color: 1.2, Chestnut/Oloroso Sherry.

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Nose: (according to the wife) Honeycomb is the first note out of the gates followed by raisins. After a tick,, you get this combination of scents that reminds of maple syrup poured on hot Belgian waffles

Palate: It’s very oaky. Notes of vegetation, moss perhaps, are quite strong. As I take more sips at full strength, the more bourbon-y it becomes. It honestly reminded me of another generic Buffalo Trace product, and I’m fairly sure that’s what I would’ve guessed if served this blind. A spritz of water does this some good. Cereal grain sweetness comes through with loads of aromatic herbs. Fir trees, rosemary, and some juniper come out deliciously.

Finish: Medium in length. Very reminiscent of bourbon here. Cherries and dried red berries galore. Lots of oak and some aromatics.

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Conclusion: Earlier this year, I was on the hunt for a 30 year birth year bottle to celebrate my 30th. I eventually settled on this Girvan, mainly because it was one of the few that were on the market and accessible at the time. I’d heard that older grains can be quite good and was cautiously optimistic about this one. It’s not bad by any definition of the word. The nose is honestly the best part, especially when that maple syrup and waffle note gets going. The palate is quite generic bourbon-esque until some water is added when some more fun aromatic notes come through. The finish is nice with the red fruits all over. Decent but not quite touching on greatness.

Final Score: 79.

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Scotch Whisky Review #323, Grain Whisky #4, Lowland Review #10, Whisky Network Review #468

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Scoring Legend:

• 96-100: The perfect dram, nectar of the gods.
• 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky.
• 85-89: Amazing, will always try to keep a bottle of this in my collection (if feasible).
• 80-84: Very Good, maybe only one minor nitpick about the whisky keeping it here.
• 75-79: Good, quite enjoyable to drink.
• 70-74: Solid, wouldn’t go out of my way to get it.
• 60-69: Meh, still drinkable.
• Below 59: If you have a bottle of this, start cooking with it instead.