Distillery Name: Glenkinchie Distillery

Distillery Location: Pencaitland, Tranent

Link to Distillery Website: https://www.malts.com/en-row/

Tours: https://www.malts.com/en-row/distilleries/glenkinchie/tours

Tour/Tasting/Experience: Glenkinchie Journey of Flavour Tour

Glenkinchie distillery is one of the 28 distilleries owned by Diageo. It is also one of the core single malts in the Johnnie Walker Blend. Glenkinchie (Lowlands), Clynelish (Highlands), Caol Ila (Islay), and Cardhu (Speyside) represent the four corners of Scotland and pillars of Johnnie Walker.

Glenkinchie distillery is about 15 miles south of Edinburgh and is known for its soft lowland region style. Founded by brothers John and George Rate in 1825 under the name Milton Distillery and renamed Glenkinchie in 1837. The distillery joined forces with Lowland distilleries Clydesdale, Rosebank, and St. Magdalene to form Scottish Malt Distillers, which Diageo acquired in 1925.

The Johnnie Walker Experience in Princess Street highlights the flavor attributes of the Glenkinchie single malt in the Journey of Flavour Tour, but does not offer it as malt or cocktail. Instead, guides encourage visitors to discover its history and flavor profile at the distillery.

The Journey of Flavour is one of three experiences offered at the distillery. The other three are:

• Glenkinchie Flavor Cask & Experience. Sample five whiskies and one from the barrel.
• Glenkinchie Flowers and Cocktail Class. A mixology workshop where visitors make their cocktails.
• Glenkinchie Distillery After Dark. A full sensory guided tour of six drams.

At Glenkinchie distillery, the tour starts as a traditional distillery tour with the history of the distillery and a review of the production process. However, the tour changes to a sensory experience. Here the tour guide talks about the four corners of Johnnie Walker and sprays aromas found in the new make spirit of Glenkinchie in perfume strips and asks the audience to identify them.

The sensory room is the spectacle that Diageo has inserted in the tour that you will not find in a typical distillery tour. Here, the experience becomes more intimate with visual and sound effects, similar to experiences offered at Princess Street. The audience does not get to taste the whiskies in a sensory experience.

The Whiskies at Glenkinchie Distillery Tour

Some of the core flavors of the Glenkinchie single malt are fruits, floral, and vanilla, typical of the Lowland whisky region of Scotland.

In the tasting room, visitors try the following expressions:

Glenkinchie 12 years old

This is a light malt with fruits (apple and honey) and a herbal palate. Bottled at 43% ABV with a short and herbal finish.

Glenkinchie Tattoo Edition

In 2019 Glenkinchie partnered with a festival in Edinburgh called The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo to create a limited edition whisky.

The Tattoo edition has the same light style with apples, pears, and a herbal palate. The oak notes are stronger here than in the 12 years old version, probably coming from the higher ABV (46%).

Overall, this expression is the same lowland style with a little more intensity. The finish is short and herbal.

Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve 

The Johnnie Walker blend replaced the 18 year old Gold Label for a few years and got added to the core range after the 18 year old resumed production. Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve is bottled at 40% ABV. It’s core flavors are vanilla, honey, and restrained smoke.

What I liked about the experience 🙂 

• The sensory experience is well done. The visual effects and tour guide give you context about the brand and the core flavor of Glenkinchie. Diageo’s magic touch to what otherwise be a traditional tour.
• As you walk through the different parts of the production process, the information posted in several sections allows you to understand the stage, even if you missed some information from the guide.

What I did not like about the experience 🙁

• The whiskies offered in the tasting room were good but lacked substance. Perhaps, this Lowland style is not for me. However, I can understand if drinkers with more delicate palates enjoy this type of malt.
• Most distillery tours will offer guests at least three single malts. This tour only offered two single malts. 🙁

Overall, the Glenkichie tour was a good one. The bar and tasting rooms are modern and cozy, creating a relaxing atmosphere. If you have spare time in Edinburgh and do not mind traveling for 25 minutes, give Glenkinchie a visit. Slainte!

Check more distillery reviews here.

Score: 3.25/5