Glen Breton Rare 10 Year

Glen Breton Rare 10-year-old is bottled at 43% ABV and sells for around $60. This single malt Canadian whisky highlights two general observations: Canada exports trash alcoholic beverages, and The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) is an uptight, insecure, and out-of-touch association. The victory won by this small Canadian distillery over the Goliath SWA was for the rights for a Canadian distillery to include “Glen” in its name, as if “Glen” can only be used by the Scots. This ridiculous battle started in 2001 and lasted until 2009, when this Canadian distillery, hilariously from a province named Nova Scotia, which literally means “New Scotland”, was officially allowed to appropriate the Scottish moniker of Glen. This factual tale, which seems like spinning yarn, is the best thing this whisky has to offer as I pour it to guests. Most of my whisky disappears into guests these days, and most of my guests don’t deserve my good whisky. I wonder if the SWA would have objected if this whisky was named Glen Garbage, because, like all Canadian products that make it to liquor stores in the United States, this is garbage. If the SWA is so insecure that they felt threatened by Canadian garbage, the cool thing to do would have to been to force a rename of a Scottish distillery that makes bad whisky, like Tamnavulin, into Glen Eh. This is tumbler with ice whisky. If a beginner was ready for their first neat single malt, I would probably pick something like Glenmorangie 10. Glen Breton 10 should not be drank neat, and does not want to be 43%. This should have been 40%, or 5% and carbonated. There is a beer quality to this whisky. It’s meady, bready, and solventy. Sourdough and acetone. There are underdeveloped fruity notes that collapse into a stale Cheerios finish. I grew up in Canada, and I am old enough and Canadian enough to know that Canadians are known for being nice, and nice people are all secretly passive aggressive assholes. It’s a real asshole move, Canada, to export Crown Royal and shit like Glen Breton. Thanks for nothing, eh.

Glen Breten 10 Year is a nice alternative from your standard Canadian drams. This one drinks more like a scotch, hitting many of the same profiles you’d expect. It’s very light, with thin layers of honey, vanilla, oak, and an extremely subtle through line of fruit. On the tongue, it’s initially quite woody, offering sweets toward the front end and a dry, fast finish toward the back. This all culminates into a nice heat in your chest moments after this one is gone, lasting briefly before you return to the rim. The worst part about Glen Breten 10 Year is one’s inability to acquire it. For something falling so neatly within the affordable and delicious category, it would be amazing if it were available outside of Canada. (Alternative - Highland Park Magnus) (FWF Share #62 [3/8/2018])

Great stuff, and if this is what single malt has the potential to taste like in Canada: sign me up for some more! The malted barley and floral notes that hit your nose feels like you're having something from Scotland, though even in a blind taste I knew it wasn't - I just couldn't figure out where the hell it was from! There's also a hint of citrus that in the mouth becomes nutty and oaky; it really all just comes together in a great way that feels balanced. The finish is smooth albeit short, but you really don't come out complaining here. And while throughout it feels light and lively so that you know it's young, it never feels immature or underaged. To Canada!

Nose: Odd and somewhat off putting. Perhaps it’s butter? Or something vegetal? It’s difficult to identify but I don’t particularly like it. Palate: Astringent and that similar unidentified flavor is present. Some sweetness comes through, but the palate is mild. Finish: Short. Mouthfeel is light and watery. Still not sure what the flavor here is. Not sure if ill have this again even though the bottle was a gift. I’d be curious to know what/how the distiller does his/her cuts because it’s borderline tasting like too much tails.

Crisp apple, and honey sweetness followed by palatable floral spice, finishing dry. It’s one of the only Canadian single malts I’ve heard of. I think it’s fair to say it competes with equally priced single malt scotch. $74 in Ontario.

Ten years in charred oak has lent some toasty almond and vanilla notes but by and large hasn't disguised much of the whiskey's inherently grainy, grassy qualities. This is a very sociable, pleasant dram, albeit one lacking complexity.