November 10, 2015

Exploring Glenlivet at Cask Strength

Glenlivet again. That’s good. The new #1 malt in volume. But first, an aperitif, as usual, and let’s make it high strength as well…

Glenlivet 15 yo (57%, Gordon & MacPhail, licensed bottling, +/-1990)

An all-time classic at 100°proof (UK). Colour: gold. Nose: you don’t even need to bring your glass to your nostrils to smell a lot of overripe apples. Harvesting apples in an orchard. In the background, a little clay. Other than that, yeah, apples and apples. I like apples, but I doubt this little Glenlivet will keep the doctor away… With water: a funny medicinal touch. Effervescent aspirin tablets, perhaps. Mouth (neat): amazing, even more apples, with oranges added into the basket. A little maple syrup, a touch of vanilla and caramel… In fact, this is liquid tarte tatin, not something that’s unusual with Glenlivet. With water: gets a little more honeyed, but there’s also more cider. We’re far from Calvados, though. Finish: medium, always on apples. Green apples. Cider apples… Comments: one of these very fine whiskies that made many whisky drinkers discover the pleasures of high strength. SGP:551 - 82 points.

Similar age and strength, only official…

Glenlivet 16 yo 1988/2005 (58.1%, OB, Chivas Bros., Batch #GL 16 004, 50cl)

Colour: pale gold. Nose: it’s amazing how close we are to the G&M. Same feeling of cut apples, plus a touch of chalk. Not much else I’m afraid, but this works. A kind of unpolished Glenlivet. With water: same slightly medicinal notes as in the G&M. Concrete, aspirin. Mouth (neat): quite raw, strong, with again apples, cider, young Calvados, a touch of caramel, and some grass. Roughish. With water: smoother of course, more honeyed. Stewed apples, tarte tatin, chalk, a little white pepper, a touch of orange. Finish: medium, on, guess what? Apples! Comments: a tad rougher than the G&M. Needs water. SGP:551 - 81 points.

Glenlivet 19 yo 'Tom a Voan' (54.1%, OB, single cask edition, cask #42705, 2015)

A single cask with an age but no vintage, that’s a bit bizarre… Colour: deep gold. Nose: this seems to be a case of a newer bottling being nicer than its older siblings, which doesn’t happen every day. Very pleasant honeyed freshness, some fudge and malt, light raisins, apples (of course), maple syrup, then cigarette tobacco and ‘sweet’ leather. Something floral as well (lime tree). Very nice! With water: really very nice. Orange blossom, earl grey, artisan apple pie, honeydew… Mouth (neat): really very good, sweet and softly sherried, very honeyed, with raisins and a touch of mentholy earth. Perhaps a touch of rancio as well, then more grassy, chlorophilly notes. With water: a little praline and chocolate, and also more grassy tea. Swims very well. Finish: medium, as almost always with Glenlivet (when it’s not heavily sherried). Drinking earl grey while eating apple cake (with your old auntie). Comments: classic and classy Glenlivet, and it’s very ‘Glenlivet’. SGP:651 - 88 points.

Glenlivet 18 yo 1996/2015 (46%, Signatory Vintage, Un-Chillfiltered Collection, first fill sherry butt, cask #83266)

This one should have more sherry, that’s why we’re having it now. Colour: dark amber. Nose: not my first lovely middle-aged sherried Glenlivet by Signatory Vintage. This one’s moderately gamy/meaty, but it’s got tobacco and smoked teas, plus a molassy rumness and a touch of mint. A Jamaican-Andalusian Glenlivet? Sort of. Really like the oranges and the toffee-ed raisins. Mouth: perfect. Pipe tobacco, orange liqueur, drops of Demerara rum, overripe apples, then more drying chocolate. Van Houten’s old cocoa powder. Nice grassy tropical fruits. Mango skin, perhaps? Finish: medium, a wee tad drying, but the grassy/orangey freshness works well. A touch of ham and drying oak in the aftertaste. Comments: excellent, as expected. Only the slightly drying finish didn’t please me as much. SGP:462 - 86 points.

More new sherried Signatory please…

Glenlivet 19 yo 1995/2015 (58.1%, Signatory Vintage, Cask Strength, sherry butt, cask #166951, 526 bottles)

Colour: dark amber. Nose: this one hasn’t quite got the cleanliness of the 1995, but it’s got many grasses and herbal teas. Hay, dog rose, hawthorn, orange blossom… All that on a bed of prunes and raisins that make it a little armagnacky. Plus chalk and fresh cement. After a few minutes, loads and loads of chocolate. With water: tobacco, as almost always. Water very often brings tobacco out of heavy sherried whiskies, in my experience. Mouth (neat): rich, very chocolaty, orangey, with a rather old-school sherry influence, and a salty tartness in the background. A salted Mars bar or something, minus all this deadly sugar. With water: hurray! Fresher, with more orange juice and marmalade. A mineral touch as well, between gunflints and chalk. Finish: quite long, leathery and chocolaty. Leaves your palate relatively clean, which can’t be said all the time. Comments: probably first fill. High quality. SGP:552 - 88 points.

Oh well, even more sherried Signatory please…

Glenlivet 33 yo 1981/2015 (52.2%, Signatory Vintage, for The Whisky Exchange, refill sherry, cask #9468, 154 bottles)

Older and refill, this might work. Previous sister casks had been excellent, and rather fairly priced, which is the case again by today’s standards (£199). Colour: gold. Nose: smells official. I know, a rather stupid comment, but I mean it. Apples and chalk, raisins and clay. Not much else to say. With water: a little humus and mushrooms, which I always love in my whisky. Chives? Mouth (neat): love it. Apples, cigarette tobacco, tea, leather, walnuts from the sherry, some cinnamon… Balance is achieved, the strength is perfect, it goes down well, it’s quite complex… We’re approaching the 90-mark in my book. Water will decide… With water: check. Honey, ripe apples, oranges… Finish: medium, clean, fresh, complex. Custard, honey, apple cake, earl grey, wulong…. Comments: it’s the balance that’s impressive. Some sherry, but not too much sherry, and the Glenlivetness that’s still there. The wonders of refill sherry! SGP:451 - 90 points.

We could almost try a last one. Are you game?...

Glenlivet 18 yo ‘Hand-Filled’ (50.7%, OB, cask #2, 2014)

A bottle filled at the distillery by my friend Tomislav. You can’t beat the taste of friendship. Colour: gold. Nose: this one reminds us that Glenlivet doesn’t always need sherry. Sunflower oil, apples, acacia honey, dandelions, malted barley, custard, pollen… It’s well-aged Glenlivet au naturel, in all its glory. With water: perfect! Ex-bourbon soft fruits and cakes and honeys. Very soft, delicate, and well, perfect. Mouth (neat): coating and vanilled, then fruitier than fruits, with a feeling of Haribo’s best and all kinds of tinned fruits. Even litchis. With water: grape pie, acacia honey, custard, lemon curd, Danish pastries, sunflower oil, pollen… Spring is here! (did it occur to you that we’re in the midst of November, S.?) Finish: medium, soft, elegant, honeyed, fruity… Tea in the aftertaste, both green and black. Comments: we’re bordering perfection. Thank you, Tomislav! SGP:551 - 88 points.

Check the index of all Glenlivet I've tasted so far