🥃 Glen Garioch 12 Years Old
12-year-old Highland single malt from Glen Garioch: 48% ABV, not chill-filtered; on sale since April 2010.
Glen Garioch 12 Years Old is an expression from the Glen Garioch distillery that carries an age statement. It is a Highland single malt Scotch whisky matured for at least 12 years and bottled at 48% ABV. According to Difford's Guide, it has been on sale since April 2010.
The official website describes a combination of bourbon and sherry casks. Difford's Guide specifies that most of the whisky matures in American oak bourbon casks, and about 20% in Spanish oak sherry butts. The whisky is bottled without chill filtration; Dramface notes that the bottle does not say whether colouring is used.
Why it matters to you. Compared with Founder's Reserve the strength is the same, but the age is guaranteed on the label, and the share of sherry casks is more noticeable. The modern Glen Garioch is mostly unpeated, so do not expect a smoky taste. Check the age and strength on the bottle. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 48% ABV |
|---|---|
| Minimum maturation | 12 years |
| Cask type | mostly bourbon casks, about 20% sherry casks (per Difford's Guide) |
| Year founded | April 2010 (release of the expression, per Difford's Guide) |
| Raw material | malted barley |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey |
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890): Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Highland |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Glen Garioch 12 Years Old → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🐝 American white oak, 🍷 Sherry
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Glen Garioch, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky
- Related to
- 🥃 Highland whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve, 🥃 Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Glen Garioch 12 is entirely sherry-matured?
No. According to Difford's Guide, about 20% of the whisky matures in sherry casks and the rest in bourbon casks.
What is the strength of Glen Garioch 12 Years Old?
48% ABV, not chill-filtered.
How does it differ from Founder's Reserve?
The strength is the same, but this bottle guarantees an age of 12 years on the label.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky — Malted barley is the base of whisky: malt enzymes convert starch in the mash, and EU whisky is distilled below 94.8% vol.
- 🐝 American white oak — A North American oak that gives wine strong vanilla and coconut notes.
- 🥃 Highland whisky — Protected region of Scotch whisky north of the legal Highland–Lowland boundary; the SWA’s 2024 map shows 55 distilleries here.
Similar
🥃 Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve · 🥃 Highland Park 15 Year Old Viking Heart · 🥃 Deanston 18 Year Old · 🥃 The Deveron 12 Year Old · 🥃 Speyburn 18 Year Old · 🥃 Deanston Virgin Oak
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Glen Garioch (official): 12 Years Old (48 % ABV; mix of bourbon and sherry casks; non-chill-filtered)
- Difford's Guide: Glen Garioch 12 Year Old Highland Single Malt (48 % ABV; launched April 2010; mostly ex-bourbon, c. 20 % sherry-seasoned Spanish oak butts; no chill filtration)
- Dramface: Glen Garioch 12yo review (2022; 48 % ABV; ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks; non-chill-filtered)
- Scotchwhisky.com (Whiskypedia): Glen Garioch (unpeated since the 1990s; small smoky batches in recent years)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak casks up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV); Single Malt Scotch Whisky
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)