Speyburn 10 Year Old Scotch Review
By Kurt Maitland
Rating: B
(Credit: Kurt Maitland)
Speyburn is part of the Inver House Distillers portfolio that includes Old Pulteney, Balblair, and Knockdhu (now released as AnCnoc), and has been since 1992. The distillery is more properly known as the Speyburn-Glenlivet Distillery, dating back to 1897 in a scenic glen that draws water from Granty Burn, a tributary of the River Spey.
Note that this is not the same distillery that makes The Glenlivet, despite its name. That distillery is located in Moray. Speyburn is considered one of the more attractive Scotch distilleries, and is sometimes billed as “the most photographed distillery in Scotland.” The Speyburn 10 Year Old is listed as the middle part of their single malt range, and is bottled at 43% abv.
The Scotch
Appearance: Ginger ale
Nose: Fresh bread, citrus, floral notes and a hint of oatmeal cookie
Palate: Citrus and sweetbread, with a mouthfeel that is even, smooth and not too dry
Finish: The bread and citrus fades into an astringent quiet burn that lasts for a good long time
This is a solid scotch. It has a light straightforward flavor and works as a good intro to the world of single malts (non-Peaty beast division) as well as a relaxing, straightforward dram.
The Price
This is definitely high on my “bang for the buck” list of single malts. The Speyburn 10 Yr Old will run you between $23 and $27 US for a bottle. At this price it definitely punches above its weight class and is certainly worth a look.
I am not a scotch connoisseur, but Speyburn 10 is definitely the best scotch I’ve tried so far.
That’s kinda sad. But I’m a scotch snob. If you ever have the opportunity try a GlenDronach. or if you’re super lucky, and happen to be at a high end bar, the Macallan 18 is superb!
So i love scotch. I am on a trip to hawaii, and wondered how i was going to enjoy a good dram while here on the island without breaking the bank. To give you an example, A bottle of balvenie double wood 12 is $70 in hawaii and a macallen 12 sherry cask is the same. These are good entry level scotches that are priced very high in hawaii. Not alot of choices either and many of the scotch we take for granted in the mainland at $50 or so are like $70 to $80 in hawaii. Forget about anything aged longer than a 10 or 12 year. I cant even find something aged higher here. So i decided to go with a speyburn 10 which was about $33 here in the island. What a solid scotch. So surprised at this price point how tasty and satisfying this scotch is. At 43abv there is a good amount of discovery to be explored neat or with a few drops of water. I actually prefer this scotch with a small anount of water. The flavor profile really comes through and leaves a very delicious and satisfying finish. It helps to be sitting next to a palm tree while sipping, but my point is i was very pleased with the quality and flavor to be discovered at this price point. Recommended and glad i was able to experience.