Following the launch of The Glen Grant’s oldest expression, The Glen Grant Devotion 70-year-old, we find out from master distiller Dennis Malcolm OBE how he keeps his passion for creating malts alive
Master distiller Dennis Malcolm OBE’s life has always revolved around whisky—this isn’t surprising as he was born right on the grounds of The Glen Grant Distillery.
Founded in 1839, The Glen Grant distillery is a Scotch whisky icon, being among the largest and oldest distilleries in Speyside. Founded by brothers John and James Grant in Rothes, Speyside, the distillery has a long history in the whisky industry and is known for producing beautifully light, floral and fruity single malts. Today, the distillery maintains its reputation for producing high-quality whiskies—and it’s thanks to Malcolm.
Tatler Singapore met the longest-serving master distiller on a trip across the globe earlier this year, when we got to witness the unveiling of the distillery’s latest and oldest expression since its founding: The Glen Grant Devotion 70-year-old.
Read more: How The Glen Grant honours the late Queen Elizabeth II with its oldest release to date
The latest expression commemorates the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years of committed service to her people and her unwavering devotion to nature. Malcolm shared that while her passing had left him sad, it also inspired him to do something to honour her. “The Queen had been on [the throne] all my life,” he says. And what better way to honour her than with the Devotion 70-year-old.
The exquisite single malt had been handpicked by Malcolm for its “lifetime of character”. Just 7 bottles are available, and each decanter holds a deep chestnut-hued liquid, a result of spending seven decades in a single French oak butt seasoned with Oloroso Sherry. Mature and complex, the malt offers aromas of barley sugar, ripe peach and honey. On the palate, it’s exquisite and rich with characters of dried fruit, dry spice and oak.