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The
Glenlivet distillery is located in the
Speyside town of Ballindalloch, Banffshire and was founded
officially in 1824 when George Smith received his licence to
distill.
After
initially renting a small farm for the purpose, the current
distillery was built in 1858.
1880
Saw the granting of the sole right to use the name "The
Glenlivet" after many other distilleries in the area had started
using "Glenlivet" after their own distillery name(s) to infer
quality. |
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Glenlivet merged
with Glen Grant in 1953 to form The Glenlivet & Glen Grant
Distilleries Ltd.
Glenlivet was taken over by Seagram of Canada in 1977 who
then merged Glenlivet with Chivas Brothers in 1983 to form The
Chivas and Glenlivet Group.
The
Chivas and Glenlivet Group was taken over by Pernod Ricard
in 2001 and they remain the owners today (2011). |
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The Glenlivet (OB) |
General whisky characteristics: Complex and fruity, often
summer fruits |
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The Glenlivet 12y,
40% ABV
Issued around
2006-7
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Warm gold
Nose:
Quite
sweet, fruity, malt and a hint of fresh oak
Palate: Creamy malt and
fruit. The actual fruit was hard to determine, but perhaps
that's because it was more like a good, old-fashioned fruit
cocktail.
With
3 drops of water: The nose is more aromatic with
concentrated fruit, but the palate is too weakened.
Finish: Medium to long
Overall Impression:
A very nice, standard and fruity 12y malt, but better without
the water.
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The Glenlivet 15y,
'French Oak',
40% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass:
Classic Malt
Colour: Rich
gold, oak
Nose: Sweet
wood, nuts, marzipan, a little fruit and a touch of red wine.
Palate:
Smooth, slightly sweet, some fruit (mainly berries) and a hint
of marzipan.
Finish: Long
with faint marzipan and a hint of red wine.
Overall
Impression: Not earth-shattering, but a good, honest,
smooth and very drinkable fruity whisky with a hint of red
wine on the finish. |
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The Glenlivet 18y,
43% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: Amber
Nose:
Rich
Summer fruits, slightly toasted oak and a mixture of berries.
Palate: Definite berries,
some nuts and a rich creamy mouth-feel.
With
3 drops of water: Over a few minutes this opens into a very
aromatic fruity whisky and is that a tiny hint of smoke too?
Finish: Very long with fruity malt and just a slight hint of
coconut.
Overall Impression:
I really like Glenlivet 18y, a very good whisky.
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The Glenlivet,
18y,
43% ABV
2011 edition?
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed (blind) as
part of MMA 2011 |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Rich dark cork.
Nose:
Very creamy sensation, in fact creamy vanilla
ice cream. After 2-3 minutes there are some quite sherried hints
including light fruit and a definite woodiness.
Palate: Malty vanilla
followed by fruit cocktail, maybe even including custard? This
turns dry as it leads into the finish.
Finish: Long, woody and slightly dry.
Overall Impression:
Uncomplicated, fruity wood, very drinkable and very pleasant.
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The Glenlivet XXV,
43% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Nose:
Very
slightly menthol oak
Palate: Exceptionally
smooth, walnuts and pecan nuts with a background of butterscotch.
Very long and gentle finish.
Overall Impression:
Delightfully drinkable. The best dram of the day at the recent
Munich whisky festival. Only the price prevents me from running
out and immediately buying a bottle or three.
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The Glenlivet
Nadurra,
16y, Cask Strength,
57.2% ABV
Issued around
2006-7
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour: 21 carat gold
Nose:
Malt,
straw and a little leafy with a hint of smoked bacon.
Palate: Lots of fruit (mainly
orange, peach & apricot) but also a richness that's hard ot
identify and sits somewhere between toffee and liquorice.
With
3 drops of water: A lighter and more aromatic nose now has
floral and perfumed notes and just a hint of sun cream. The
palate is now an explosion of coconut, fruit and (red) candy
floss.
With
4 more drops of water: Still a light and aromatic nose but
that explosion on the palate has been tamed into very smooth,
gentle fruit.
Finish: Very long.
Overall Impression:
I love it and be sure to add just a drop or two of water for
maximum effect!
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The Glenlivet
Nadurra,
16y, Cask Strength,
54.2% ABV
Batch No.11091
(2010)
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Bright yellow gold
Nose:
Apricot,
peach and butterscotch with a faint malty background and just a
hint of freshly-polished wood. As the minutes progress the
butterscotch increases.
Palate: White pepper on
the sides of the palate whilst apricot and butterscotch dominate
the centre. This also has a very creamy mouth-feel.
With
4 drops of water:
The nose is much lighter and the palate has more wood and pepper
whilst the fruit decreases.
Finish: Long and fruity, more pepper with the water added.
Overall Impression:
Nice, very nice.
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The Glenlivet Nadurra",
Cask Strength, 54.9% ABV
Bottled 10.2010,
Batch No.1010K
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed (blind) as
part of MMA 2011 |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Pale yellow gold.
Nose:
An initial light fruitiness develops further
with time in the glass and eventually includes hints of malted
biscuit. After more time there's a hint of freshly polished wood,
maybe even silver polish and then more fruitiness.
Palate: Lots of creamy
vanilla, peach and light exotic fruits followed by a gentle
pepperiness. It's subdued but it still offers plenty.
Finish: Medium to long.
Overall Impression:
Most enjoyable but unusually subdued.
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The Glenlivet Nadurra",
48% ABV
Bottled 02.2020,
Batch No.OLO220
Matured in First
Fill Oloroso Casks
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Golden Oak
Nose:
When I
originally opened this bottle my first impression was of gently
toasted apple pie (or crumble) but now, a couple of days later
it's a little more musty rather than toasted but the fruitiness
of apple or perhaps pear is still apparent. There's also a
woodiness alongside that fruitiness..
Palate: That musty
fruitiness makes for a very mouth-coating experience and we're
back to a suggestion of apple pie or crumble as there's a hint
of pastry-ness. But there's something else amongst that
pastry-ness which reminds me Bakewell tart ..... a hint of
almond maybe?
Finish: Long
Overall Impression:
I love the general fruitiness of Glenlivets and this is no
exception, albeit just a little different.
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The Glenlivet,
"The
Master Distiller's Reserve", 40% ABV
A Travel Retail
special edition
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed (blind) as
part of MMA 2011 |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Shiny cork
Nose:
An initial suggestion of barn or cowshed are
not too unpleasant and develop into fruity malt and a creamy
grassiness.
Palate: A slightly thin
and watery mouth-feel is quite dry and offers leafy malt, faint
fruit and some vanilla, but it's all quite light and subdued.
Finish: Medium to long and quite dry.
Overall Impression:
How this could do with a few more % abv to overcome that
wateriness.
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The Glenlivet,
"Founders
Reserve",
55.6% ABV
Bottle No.1391 of
1824
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed (blind) as
part of MMA 2011 |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Rich dark cork or even dark oak.
Nose:
Some initial suggestion of toasted vanilla
and coconut but the toasted effect fades quickly to leave a
fruitiness with vanilla, bramble, blueberry and some aged oak. A
light nuttiness develops after 5-6 minutes.
Palate: A peppery
nuttiness initially prevails which suggests green peppercorns
and hazelnuts, then comes a rich and complex mixture of fruits
which is very luxurious on the palate.
Finish: Very long, very rich and very nice.
Overall Impression:
I want more of this "Great" from The Glenlivet!
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Glass:
Glencairn
Colour:
Rich dark gold
Nose:
Lots of rich fruit, just like a good
Glenlivet should be with orange, lime and even some hints of
fresh coffee beans.
Palate: There's some
tender woodiness on the palate but in the fore are cappuccino &
orange.
Finish: Long.
Overall Impression:
I love the typical fruitiness of Glenlivet, but with the coffee
too? Very nice indeed and a pleasant surprise.
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Blackadder,
Glenlivet,
33y,
53% ABV
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed as part of
MMA 2011 |
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Glass; Classic Malt
Colour; Bright cork
Nose;
Initially fresh and leafy with the freshness expanding over
time in the glass to include some woody and slightly antiseptic
notes. After more time it becomes much more floral and also
includes vanilla and hints of nuts and sandalwood.
Palate; Suggestions of baked apple and apricot with vanilla
sauce and a sprinkle of black pepper. Then comes marzipan and a
selection of mixed fruits and nuts.
Finish; Long with light pepper and fruity nuts.
Overall Impression; Don't be put off by my comments about
the nose, this is a wonderful whisky with many different
facets, but all pretty well in harmony.
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BBR
Glenlivet,
1982-2009,
52.2% ABV
Exclusive bottling
for Germany
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Teak with a tinge of copper
Nose:
First comes the almond / amaretto, then dark
cherries, wood and something herbal and very aromatic which
reminds me of cardomom seed. After 4-5 minutes an almost minty
freshness appears in the background.
Palate: Very creamy
mouth-feel with oodles of well-balanced wood and fruit, think
dark cherries and light figs, followed by oatmeal biscuits.
With
4 drops of water: Very aromatic fruit bursts onto the nose
alongside the wood. The palate is softer, creamier and fruitier.
With
a further 4 drops of water: The nose now has candy floss
alongside the aromatic wood. Then comes bramble and raspberry
wrapped in marzipan. The palate now includes white pepper,
marzipan and raspberry.
Finish: Very long. Without the water there's lots of fruit
and wood and hints of coffee beans and dark chocolate right at
the end. It's also slightly dry. With water it has lighter
fruit liek raspberry, but some pepperiness too.
Overall Impression:
Another marvellous Glenlivet sherry cask. I adore this whisky!
I've had
the chance to revisit this whisky in December 2011
Glass; Classic Malt
Colour; Very deep amber
Nose;
Rich and deep with dark fruits and lots of wax polish. Very
rich indeed in a light kind of way.
Palate; Creamy and lightly peppery, then fruity with hints
of coconut and all lightly sherried.
Finish; Long, lively and richly fruity.
Overall Impression; Lots happening, excellent!
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BBR
Glenlivet,
34y, 1979-2014,
49.1% ABV
Exclusive bottling
for the Lung Family
Cask No.19560
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Yellow gold
Nose:
Light
and fruity with faint leafiness, marzipan and vanilla.
Palate: Mild pepperiness
gives this a gentle tingle on the palate alongside that
leafiness and marzipan from the nose. The fruitiness is now
reminiscent of apple, maybe even baked apple crumble and is that
a hint of cinnamon too?
Finish: Long, fruity and leafy.
Overall Impression:
A rather good bourbon cask whisky with the typical fruitiness of
a Glenlivet.
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BBR
Glenlivet,
30y, 1983-2013,
58.8% ABV
Cask No.2877
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Just like a light lager beer
Nose:
Lots of
green apple fruitiness alongside faint coconut and even a hint
of liquorice.
Palate: Yes, definitely
suggestions of coconut on the palate with mild liquorice and
summer berries, in fact it's almost like those coconut wheels in
liquorice allsorts.
Finish: Long with more coconut and liquorice.
Overall Impression:
Liquorice Allsorts? Nice.
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Coopers Choice
Glenlivet,
11y,
1998-2010, 46% ABV
Cask Ref. 126874,
single sherry cask
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Teak
Nose:
Typical
sherry cask attributes with dark fruits (raisins, currants,
plums) leather and aged oak, but also with a suggestion of
lightly toasted apricots & berries.
Palate: Those lighter
fruit notes definitely come through on the palate with lots of
apricot, peach and berries, but all apparently marinated in an
old oak tub of sherry with marzipan and (other) nuts.
Finish: Long, fruity sherry.
Overall Impression:
A sherry cask Glenlivet? The light fruit notes that are
synonymous with Glenlivet combine excellently with the richer
sherry attributes to provide a very good whisky. I really,
really like this one!
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Signatory, The Glenlivet,
14y, 25.6.1996 -
17.6.2011,
55.4% ABV
Sherry Butt, Cask
No.105516, bottle No.85 of 526
Typical cost of
this bottle; €€€€€
Reviewed (blind) as
part of MMA 2011 |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Rich dark amber.
Nose:
Strange; an initial but thankfully quickly
fading sense of wooded baby vomit. The woodiness then expands to
remind me of an old dilapidated pier, sea-shore and a light hint
of rubberiness.
Palate: A much better
palate than the nose here as I detect aged wood, peppery coconut,
a fruitiness mainly comprising apricot & peach, followed by
distinct almond.
Finish: Long and fruity with a rich woodiness.
Overall Impression:
That initial note on the nose let it down just a little, but
this faded quickly and for certain, the palate is wonderful, so
an excellent whisky all the same.
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Signatory, The Glenlivet,
bottled for Taiwan,
20y,
57.3% ABV
Distilled
30.10.1995, bottled 21.01.2016
Sherry Butt, Cask
No.166956, one of 564
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Teak
Nose:
Very
aromatic but also quite piercing with lots of typical sherry
cask notes including aged wood, leather and antique books. In
fact what I sometimes referto as an old English study. There's
also some nuttiness.
Palate: Rich dark
fruitiness like raisins, plums, damson and cherries. Also that
nuttiness from the nose now appearing like marzipan but there's
also a (black) peppery tingle.
5-6
Drops of water: The nose is now more woody and the palate a
little more subdued with no pepperiness and quite a bit of
character lost.
Finish: Long, shorter with the water.
Overall Impression:
Big, strong and fierce sherry cask that's much better without
the water.
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Signatory, The Glenlivet,
bottled for Taiwan,
20y,
58.9% ABV
Distilled
30.10.1995, bottled 20.01.2016
Sherry Butt, Cask
No.166948, one of 548
Original cost of
this bottle; €€€€€ |
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Glass: Classic Malt
Colour:
Rich dark amber
Nose:
Rich
aromas but still quite fresh with hints of Oriental or Indian
herbs and spices. Also new leather and banana stem.
Palate: Now we have lots
of lovely typical sherry cask notes including dark fruits
(raisins, currants, prunes, maybe figs too), leather and
furniture polish but all quite fresh and clean.
Finish: Very long
Overall Impression:
Rich and fresh, delightful sherry cask.
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