Celebrating its 25^th anniversary this year, Glenora distillery has certainly hit its stride. This clean, grassy 21 year old tastes like nothing so much as a top Speyside scotch. Fresh hay notes and a slightly effervescent spiciness give the feel, but not the taste, of hot black licorice. Barrel notes begin to show in the middle, resolving into a long, peppery, pithy finish. Barrel selected by Mike Brisebois for Casker’s whisky club. Good stuff, Glenora! (Distillery only)

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Fall 2015)

Delicate aromas of brown banana, fresh wood, warm cereal, and apple puree that suggest Gerber baby food. It seems slightly youthful and primary, but the palate is quite nice, as the fruit and malt purity shine. The gentle fruit meets Twinkies as the simple and pleasingly sweet flavors glide to a finish of honeyed sweetness. (3,600 bottles)

Reviewed by: Julia Higgins (Summer 2022)

The warehouses at Glenora are not heated, so aging virtually stops in winter. Thus, the whisky doesn’t reach its peak until its mid-teens. By then, it is malty, fresh, crisp, and grassy, with hints of vanilla and delicate, slightly bitter fruits, including apricots and citrus pith. Fragile floral notes join exotic hints of mango and a nuttiness reminiscent of almond skins and sweetened coconut. Air do dheag slàinte, Glenora, as they say in Cape Breton’s Gaelic Highlands. (Canada only)

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Fall 2015)

Aged 10 years in icewine barrels — a Canadian specialty — and like icewine, comes in a tiny bottle. Sweet malt aromas, some grape character, with a brandy-like edge slicing through it. The high proof comes through as evaporative rather than hot, and it’s quite drinkable undiluted: some creaminess even, and some of that sweet icewine intensity to it. A drop of water brings more whisky out: bold, a bit hot. The icewine finishing is an experiment with promise. Price is per 250 ml.

Reviewed by: Lew Bryson (Summer 2011)

It is unfortunate that Glenora does not mark lot numbers, as each succeeding batch improves over previous ones. Gone are the soapy notes that oozed out of the bottle, keeping early releases from showing their strength. While the nose is big, on the palate the whisky becomes light, with brisk spiciness, some malt, and subtle oak. Glen Breton is known for its red apple notes and gentle flowers. To these now add pepper, honey, caramel, and light oak.

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Fall 2015)

Unusually sweet and perfumed. Layers of malty sweetness (honey, butterscotch, caramel, vanilla wafers) is the dominant feature of this whisky, with background notes of almonds, toasted oak, and citrus fruit. Herbal, hay notes also emerge from time to time. This is not an overly complex whisky. It is also a tad fiery at times (alluding to its youthful age), but this whisky is an improvement over a previous sample I tasted from this distillery a year or two ago.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2005)