hs305 scored this whisky 89 points 
[November, 2019] Just two rather low rates so far without any word written - Glen Ord is known for fine fruity malts, so did Diageo select bad casks for its special release or were they just not to the liking of these two members (which is okay because there is no accounting for taste)? I have to check this by myself, certainly...
...and I like it much better, actually very much better. This is a dram that somehow combines the best from both old-style and modern-style profiles, maybe a transitional dram? I enjoy to explore it and I enjoy to quaff it both neat and reduced at several levels (a characteristic of a great dram, no doubt). And the mouthfeel is simply adorable (and hard to find in modern whiskies, unfortunately)...
[April, 2020] I re-tasted this dram tonight and confirm my old rating - maybe I am a little less enthusiastic but I find this a very tasty and interesting dram again. Tonight I go for 89 points on all dimensions but to be honest - this makes no difference. Still I like to quaff this dram very much...
...and I like it much better, actually very much better. This is a dram that somehow combines the best from both old-style and modern-style profiles, maybe a transitional dram? I enjoy to explore it and I enjoy to quaff it both neat and reduced at several levels (a characteristic of a great dram, no doubt). And the mouthfeel is simply adorable (and hard to find in modern whiskies, unfortunately)...
[April, 2020] I re-tasted this dram tonight and confirm my old rating - maybe I am a little less enthusiastic but I find this a very tasty and interesting dram again. Tonight I go for 89 points on all dimensions but to be honest - this makes no difference. Still I like to quaff this dram very much...
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The colour is old gold and the nose offers a modern malt profile that is pretty fine. The fruity-honeyed aromas are in good balance with the spices and tannins of the wood without any off-note. After some breathing fine waxy, floral and oily notes join in - hey, now this nose gets very interesting! Let it breathe for at least ten minutes and take a sniff every minute or so because the nosing profile changes quite a lot over this time. It starts with a modern fruity-honeyed-wooden style and ends up with old-style waxy-oily-earthy aromas - and I like both. Later the wooden notes grow stronger again but never dominate.
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The taste is nicely layered and starts surprisingly with delicious spices before the sweeter fruits and honeys join in (usually it is the other way around). Next are waxes and barley sugars followed by earthy and liquorice impressions. All delicious, without any flaw and in a fine balance. Water releases delicious toffee-buttery aromas in the nose and turns the taste fruitier hence even more quaffable. I like to explore this dram neat, drink some neat sips and then I reduce it to about 46% abv.
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The dram arrives warming and without distracting moments on the palate and instantly covers the whole of the mouth with a creamy texture. Wow, what a great mouthfeel! The finish is long and strengthens the spicy and toffee side of the dram. There is a minor cardboardy moment towards the end but this is not really distracting (nonetheless unwanted and it prevents this dimension from crossing the 90 points barrier too).
