Glen Roger’s 08 Year Old (1990s Edition)
70cl / 40%
£59.00
- Malt type: Single Malt
- Region: Scotland
Tasting Notes
Soft malt, gentle orchard fruits, light vanilla.
Easy-drinking and mellow with cereal sweetness and faint oak spice.
Short and smooth with a whisper of honey and oak.
If you like this whisky, you will also like these
1990s Highland-style 8-year-old pure/blended malt bottled for the French market, 40% and easy-drinking, now a budget collectible.
At-a-Glance
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Distillery / Bottler / Country & Region | Undisclosed Scottish producer, bottled as Glen Roger’s / Scotland (Highland style) |
| Category | Blended/pure malt Scotch whisky (1990s terminology) |
| Age / Vintage / Bottled | 8 Years Old / 1990s presentation (exact years not stated by the producer) |
| ABV & Size(s) | 40% ABV / 70cl |
| Cask / Treatment | Standard 1990s commercial maturation in oak; exact cask types not stated by the producer |
| Natural Colour | Not stated by the producer (caramel likely, typical for the era) |
| Non-Chill-Filtered | Not stated by the producer (assume chill-filtered) |
| Cask Strength | No |
| Bottle count / Outturn | Not stated by the producer (regular line, not numbered) |
| Intended channel | French/continental retail, later vintage/online UK resale |
| Packaging | Standard 1990s bottle, screw cap, castle/Highland-style label, sometimes with cardboard tube |
| Notes on discrepancies | Sometimes listed as “Highland pure malt” and sometimes simply “blended Scotch”; all agree on 8 years, 40%, 70cl, 1990s origin |
Historical Context
In the 1990s there was a steady flow of export-oriented Scotch bottled under evocative “Glen-” names, especially for France and mainland Europe. These were typically positioned just above entry-level blends, with an age statement to signal quality. Glen Roger’s 08 Year Old fits that pattern: anonymous Highland-style malt content, 8 years old, 40% ABV, easy to understand, and dressed with a castle/Highland scene to meet buyer expectations in those markets. Its survival on today’s secondary market is mainly because unopened 1990s bottles remain in circulation, not because it was ever a limited or distillery-specific release. Collectors of “supermarket 1990s malts”, or people building out period-correct backbars, sometimes seek it out for that reason.
Technical Specification & Variant Map
Documented variants
-
8 Year Old, 40%, 70cl, “Highland”/“pure malt” wording, French-market focus.
-
8 Year Old, 40%, 70cl, in cardboard tube with the same label.
-
Near-identical bottling credited to a commercial bottler (sometimes shown on the back label) but with the same front presentation.
Variant Matrix
| ABV | Volume | Market | Era cues | Relative desirability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40% | 70cl | French/continental retail, 1990s | Castle/Highland label, “pure malt” wording | Core / most typical |
| 40% | 70cl + tube | UK vintage/online stock | Tube, matching print | Slightly higher (better presentation) |
| 40% | 70cl (bottler-named back label) | 1990s export | Same front, bottler specified on rear | Parallel, condition-led |
Packaging & authenticity checklist
-
Front label should say Glen Roger’s and clearly show 8 Years Old.
-
Strength must be 40% and volume 70cl.
-
Screw cap is correct for the era; check that it is not dented or leaking.
-
Castle/Highland scenic art is typical; minor design differences between runs are normal.
-
Because several similar low-tier 1990s malts exist, always match on name, age, ABV and 70cl.
Regulatory/terminology notes
-
“Pure malt” in the 1990s corresponds to what is now called “blended malt Scotch whisky”.
-
8 Years Old is a legal minimum age statement.
-
Colouring and chill-filtration were standard practice for this kind of bottling.
Liquid Profile
-
Nose: Light malt, honey sweetness, apple/pear, faint cereal, a touch of vanilla.
-
Palate: Soft, approachable, cereal-led, malt biscuits, light toffee, gentle oak.
-
Finish: Short to medium, clean, slightly sweet with a light dry edge.
-
With water: Not required at 40%; a dash can lift the fruit.
Pricing & Market Dynamics (GBP)
-
Original RRP (GBP): Not stated by the producer.
-
Current UK retail-style asking band: when presented as a “1990s Highland pure malt” in tube, c. 45–55 GBP is a realistic retail-style tag.
-
Recent auction reality: 10–17.50 GBP for loose bottles in average condition.
-
Pricing stratification: tubed, clean-label bottles sell better; plain bottle-only examples sit at the low end.
-
Liquidity & sourcing note: very easy to source at low auction prices; retail velocity depends on buyers specifically interested in 1990s curios.
Price Snapshot
| Channel | Date | Bottle spec | Price (GBP) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK spirits/vintage auction | Recent past | Glen Roger’s 8 Year Old, 70cl, 40% | 10.00 | Typical hammer for bottle-only |
| UK spirits/vintage auction | Earlier sale | Glen Roger’s 8 Year Old, 70cl, 40%, good label | 17.50 | Upper end for this item |
| Specialist/vintage retail (inferred) | Current style | 1990s 70cl, 40%, with tube | 45–55 | Retail positioning for “1990s” bottles |
Distillery/Bottler Snapshot
This is an undisclosed-source 1990s Scotch put into a Highland-themed identity for export. Its value lies in era, label art and completeness rather than in named distillery content. It sits in the broad family of “Glen-” bottlings that made Scotch accessible on the continent in the 1990s.
Sourcing
-
Target: 70cl, 40%, clearly showing 8 Years Old, label undamaged, ideally with tube.
-
Avoid: low fills, torn labels, or listings that drop the age statement.
-
Condition thresholds: fill into shoulder/neck, capsule tight, tube not crushed.
-
Commercial note: buy around 10–15 GBP at auction; list 40–50 GBP if you have strong storytelling around 1990s/“old label” stock.
