Review #702 - SMWS 9.278 'Breakfast, But Mostly Dessert' - Glen Grant 19 Year
In early November of 2025, we had a chance to attend the outturn tasting for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's November 2025 releases for the United States. Typically, these outturn tastings consist of 6 or 7 different whiskies, and all of the tastings are done blind, with the bottles revealed only after tasting notes and guesses have been discussed. Most of the time, these bottles are single malt Scotch whiskies, but they originate at a variety of distilleries (the Societies has bottled whisky from over 150 distilleries), and there's a huge range of casks at are used for aging. This is 1 of 6 reviews from this month's outturn.
This is actually the first Glen Grant single malt that we've reviewed; it sits in the SMWS flavor profile of 'Juicy Oak & Vanilla,' and it also sports the black label that is reserved for the Society's more premium bottlings. The reason for that black label is the age statement of 19 years, all of which was spent in an ex-bourbon barrel. By the time it was bottled, the cask strength of this single malt had slipped down to 54.3% ABV, and 192 bottles were filled (90 of which made it to the US).
SMWS 9.278 'Breakfast, But Mostly Dessert' - Glen Grant 19 Year
Scotland/Speyside - Single Malt
Price: USD 195 (2025)
Age Statement: 19 Years
Strength: 54.3% ABV
Cask Makeup: First fill ex-bourbon barrel
Details: Not chill filtered, no color added; distilled September 11, 2003; 192 bottles
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed blind 1 time. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Musky and musty, with floral notes and a bit of a creamy scent. We get lemons and hay, as well as a bit of a waxy side; time brings hints of ash and a soft red fruit note.
Palate: Sweet wine and malty grain notes, though it doesn't taste young. Quite tasty, with some oatmeal and mineral flavors, and there's a fizzy sensation in the texture. Later, we get sweet passionfruit.
Finish: A whiff of smoke, heathery flowers, and some cereal notes. There's still a malty spirit side despite the age, and the aftertaste brings sweet wildflower honey.
Final Note: This is lovely, just a classic single malt at the perfect age for the distillate. There's harmony between the spirit and casks - neither overwhelms the other, allowing nice complexity and great balance. This showcases that sweet and floral malt style that you often seen in Speyside or the Highlands with a well-judged ex-bourbon maturation. This ended up being our favorite bottle of the night at the SMWS outturn tasting.
In terms of value, this is a bit lower just because the price is high, just under $200. Still, it's an excellent whisky, and if you're willing to splurge on a nice bottle, this is a great candidate.
Our Average Rating: 8.5 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.86
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
Check out our other reviews of ‘older’ SMWS bottlings:
Review #585 - SMWS 63.117 'Rich Treasures Soaked in Time' - Glentauchers 34 Year
Review #578 - SMWS 64.149 'A Cake Walk in the Black Forest' - Mannochmore 17 Year
Review #394 - SMWS 95.67 'Cosy with a Kick' - Auchroisk 16 Year
Review #364 - SMWS 3.344 'Maritime Meandering' - Bowmore 18 Year
