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| Hello, that is one in all our (nearly) each day tastings. Santé! |
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December 24, 2021
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All the way in which all the way down to Glenlivet 80 years outdated for Christmas 2021 |
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I assumed this might make sense, as Glenlivet is among the manufacturers, excuse me, one of many Distilleries that had began all of it. Bear in mind Prof. George Saintsbury in his well-known ‘Notes on a Cellar Guide’, first revealed in 1920, used to suggest that we must always at all times hold our personal mix of Clynelish and Glenlivet in our cellars. Our oldest Glenlivet right now will not be a 1920 thought, however we will not be too far. I do know some associates have been questioning why we hadn’t tasted it when it got here out, I consider that was in September. It is simply that I had determined to maintain it as a Christmas current to myself. Merry Christmas to you and peace!
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Prof. George Saintsbury (Getty) ->
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First up, our conventional wee apéritif…
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Glenlivet 12 yo (40%, OB, 75cl, +/-1985) 
Labelled as a ‘Pure Single Malt’ simply to be on the secure facet I suppose, after they used to somewhat label it as ‘Unblended All Malt’. A few of these outdated 12s had been glorious (as much as WF 90 for those for Baretto) whereas others have been dry and watery (all the way down to WF 65). Let’s test this very one… Color: gold. Nostril: a really leafy one, very grassy, on apple peel and peach leaves, with some mint and a few smoke, some linseed oil, some plasticine, even ointments… It was a much bigger and drier spirit, in all probability too austere by right now’s requirements. The palate will inform us extra… Mouth: most actually one in all good ones, far more ‘outdated Highlands’, salty, sooty, waxy, leafy certainly, with one thing medicinal, some seashells (we’re usually mentioning whelks), licking rocks, with a drop of seawater, some mint once more, a drop of cough syrup, inexperienced walnuts, extra apple peel, bone-dry artisanal cider… End: fairly lengthy given the low power, on an identical mixture. Superior salty aftertaste. Feedback: completely not ‘trendy’ Glenlivet, not saying his is best but it surely’s actually very completely different. Or had them adopted Prof. Saintsbury’s recommendation and added lots of Outdated Clynelish? Could possibly be… And 40% vol.!
SGP:362 – 88 factors. |
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Certainly, a session that begins nicely. And naturally, a up to date counterpart…
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Glenlivet 12 yo ‘Double Oak’ (40%, OB, +/-2020) 
At present 25€ in French supermarkets. Bear in mind distillers have develop into carpenters. We have tried the American Oak, the French Oak, The First Fill… This is the Double Oak! However we’re nonetheless removed from Isle of Jura’s record-breaker, ‘Seven Wooden’. I’ve heard ‘Plywood’ might be launched subsequent 12 months and ‘Extra Oak Than You Can Rely’ in 2023… Not. Color: gold. Nostril: sawdust, as anticipated, vanilla, tea and grasses. Way more rustic than the beautiful outdated 12, a lot easier, not disagreeable robust. Some good barley bread and numerous Christmas cookies, how well timed! Mouth: nicer on the palate, fatter, with mochis, black tea, vanilla, just a few raisins and certainly fairly some sawdust. Somewhat honey and a grassier maltiness within the aftertaste. Macha somewhat than mochi. End: quick, extra on muffins. Cider and apple pie within the aftertaste, which is sweet. Feedback: actually a nice dram, with an oak that feels a wee bit. In my ebook extra oak instructions a better ABV than simply 40.
SGP:451 – 80 factors. |
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Maybe a type of Nadurras at excessive power… However then once more, how and the place do you insert an NAS right into a verticale?
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Glenlivet ‘Nadurra Oloroso’ (60.2%, OB, 1st fill oloroso, batch No. OL0818, 2018) 
One among Glenlivet’s solutions to 105 or A’bunadh, I’d suppose. Color: gold. Nostril: I’d guess that many ‘new’ first fill sherries are mild in color as a result of the casks had been seasoned with some very younger wine, which was pale in color within the first place. In reality this can be a fairly leafy sherry, with a really average raisinness however then again, there’s some very good caramel and notes of stolle and pumpernickel, so one thing somewhat Germanic. Aside from that, it is also all on spicy natural teas with a bit honey. The sort that may treatment simply something. With water: extra of the identical plus some stout. Mouth (neat): extra of these spicy natural teas that may treatment simply something, with much more honey, additionally ginger and lemon tea. With water: espresso and chocolate, then extra spicy grasses and extra stout. Half a pint of Guinness (do not Pernod personal a model too? Need to test that…) End: somewhat lengthy, leafier and actually spicy. Walnut wine with somewhat lots of ginger and nutmeg, Seville oranges within the aftertaste. Feedback: excellent however a tad tough maybe. The Grasp Carpenters could have needed to shine this one a bit additional.
SGP:461 – 83 factors. |
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Glenlivet 14 yo 2007/2021 (65%, Signatory Classic for LMDW, first fill sherry butt, cask #900282, 550 bottles)
Signatory’s very bombastic Glenlivets 2007 are actually well-known inside Whiskydom, it is simply that they could tear you aside if you happen to’re not cautious sufficient. Color: deep gold. Nostril: gorgeous muffins, pastries, bredala, praline, quince jelly, vendanges tardives… It is simply unbelievable that at some coughy 65% vol., this child would not even be heavy. Now we do hold our glass at far… With water: somewhat chic and just about all on panettone. As chances are you’ll know, panettone is a favorite in the home, particularly that model that is known as… ‘Valentino’. Severely. Mouth (neat): I’ve the impression that this might be epic and wonderful, however I am afraid I am going to want a bit water earlier than I can inform you extra… With water: orange cake, and among the best. End: similar for a very long time. Excellent gingery oranges and an excellent spicier aftertaste. Feedback: we knew this might be fairly superlative.
SGP:551 – 89 factors. |
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I am glad I survived that one, as I barely survived my third jab of Covid vaccine final week. It was not the jab truly, it is simply that after that they had accomplished it they requested me to take a seat down on a type of very awful model new IKEA chairs that they had simply ordered ‘from The Web’. I am not even heavy lately however the chair exploded instantly, actually, and I fell head-first onto an outdated cast-iron radiator. Thank God it is not been too dangerous, there’s simply been somewhat lots of blood and I now have a big scar on my huge head. So extra worry than ache, and a (hopefully) somewhat comic story about Covid vaccines to inform my associates. And much more excuses to have extra whisky…
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Glenlivet 15 yo 2006/2021 (62.5%, La Maison du Whisky, Artist, 1st fill sherry hogshead, cask # 900550, 300 bottles) 
Color: deep gold. Nostril: sameish, actually, maybe only a notch extra floral and fruity. And a notch extra natural, maybe. And far, a lot lighter (62.5 vs. 65, that basically is rather a lot, uh). With water: a splendid zestiness involving grapefruits and yuzu. Not too certain about hose yuzus however there. Mouth (neat): wow! Jogs my memory of a few of the greatest batches of the outdated Macallan 10 C/S (I believe the mould’s been damaged since again then). With water: citrus plus chocolate truffles after which some younger ueber-first-grade cognac. Do not forget that traditionally, malt whisky was a substitute for cognac. End: somewhat lengthy, fairly excellent. Properly-caramelised lemon and orange cake, that factor that’s truly one of many lesser-known lethal sins. Maple syrup within the aftertaste. Feedback: so good that I am certain Woman Gaga will wish to do a duet.
SGP:551 – 90 factors. |
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Glenlivet 25 yo 1995/2020 (54.7%, OB for Navigate World Whisky, 2nd fill American oak, cask #9477, 126 bottles)
Twenty-five years, second-fill… As Boris would have stated just a few years again, what might go unsuitable? That will have been Boris Spassky, in fact. Color: straw (hurray). Nostril: wandering all through an outdated orchard, say in Kent, with many apples, pears, plums and flowers (wisteria, lilies)? Easy, millimetric, high-precision, excellent. With water: even tighter, with kiwis and rhubarb. Somewhat barley syrup and acacia honey so as to add some roundness. Mouth (neat): unbelievable brightness, on white fruits (white peaches, granny smith) and sweeter root-vegetables, as cooks now say. Carrots, parsnips, Jerusalem artichokes… Some white cherries and a bit lemon juice too. With water: a chalky and earthy facet. Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Properly both of these. End: medium, vertical, zesty with out citrus… Some malt from an western orchard, actually. Feedback: I have been hesitating between 89 and 90 however that is Christmas and this wee 25-yo ‘livet has been bottled for the Republic of South Africa. So…
SGP:641 – 90 factors. |
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Good, a final one please. Let’s make it the oldest Scotch malt whisky ever bottled, with out getting all Fox Information about it…
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Glenlivet 80 yo 1940/2020 (44.9%, Gordon & MacPhail, Generations, first fill sherry butt, cask #340, 250 bottles) |
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G&M should really feel like Usain Bolt, each few years they’re breaking a world-record that was beforehand held by… themselves. 50, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80. What’s notably spectacular right here is that it isn’t solely about ‘costs fetched at auctions’, which is the lousiest approach of breaking data in whisky (anybody can manipulate any public sale costs when there’s just one bottle at stake) and the truth that they might let fairly a bunch of whisky individuals truly strive the juice, which isn’t what different ‘record-breakers’ do. What number of record-breakers are literally badly drained whiskies? How would anybody know anyway? So kudos to G&M right here, and Merry Christmas! Oh by the way in which, simply noticed an image of the butt’s head at Sotheby’s, it will show the identify of the bodega, ‘Jose Ramirez in Puerto de Santa Maria’. |
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Color: amber. Nostril: the information that it isn’t drained in any respect has already unfold like wildfire, and certainly it isn’t. Somewhat pine essence and a drop of coconut water at first, which was to be anticipated, some fern and mosses too, actually some outdated mead and some other honeyed delicacies, a bit teak oil, sauna oil and several other tiny empyreumatic aromas, outdated leather-based polish… Alright however what’s actually placing is that in spite of everything these ‘antiquey’ aromas, some contemporary fruits would come out, apples stewed in white wine, tarte tatin, pears poached in Sauternes (strive that, some good Sauternes have gotten low cost lately)… There are additionally medicinal notes, some coastal ones too… Actually, this can be a nice instance of a fractal nostril. Every aroma triggers just a few smaller ones, which in flip would… You see what I imply, let’s transfer on… Mouth: that is probably the most superb half. Very outdated whiskies with nice noses and failing palates aren’t uncommon, however very outdated whiskies that may show each an outstanding nostril and a palate that is nonetheless in full kind, if not completely vibrant, are nearly unseen in whisky (they aren’t in cognac or armagnac, having stated that, whereas rum appears to be an entire completely different story). Lengthy story quick, this has many roasted nuts coated with honey sauce, some nougats of varied varieties, absolutely some Pu-her tea, after which fruitcakes of every kind, each nation, if not each area or land having bought its personal recipe. Even each household, in reality… Mine for one at all times makes use of lots of figs, we might nearly name them fig-urative fruitcakes. Ha. Anyway, actually an entrancing palate given its age. Not precisely a senior citizen of Maltdom.
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End: medium, on piney flavours and fried figs and dates. I am conserving this quick as a result of I’ve already downed every part I had, to be sincere. Feedback: 1940? That is the entire Duke Ellington Orchestra in your glass. I am discovering it a bit vulgar, or at the least inelegant to present a rating to such an outdated surprise, however as Angus already stated in these little pages, it is in all probability price a superb 93% or factors, for zillions of causes. Merry Christmas certainly.
SGP:561 – 93 factors.
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