Glenlivet 42yo 1974/2017

Glenlivet 42yo 1974/2017

Exceptional Casks, Berry Bros & Rudd
Single malt - Speyside
Bright gold
53.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Orange juice, eucalyptus, wet stones, leather, cloves, sultanas, apricot jam. With water, menthol, eucalyptus, pears, apricot jam. 
Mouthfeel: Light body, tingly, expands, cool. 
Tasting:  Salty sweet. Wet stones, leather, gooseberries, orange juice, menthol, eucalyptus, sea salt, clay dust. With water, wet stones, apricot jam, gooseberries, leather. 

Finish: Medium. Orange juice, gooseberries, menthol, wet stones, sea salt. 

Comments: 

Cask 8170. Lovely old Glenlivet, rather citrusy and herbal. Quite unlike the Glenlivet of today, which tends to be more apple than orange. Unusual and definitely an ‘experience’ whisky.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlivet 24yo 1998/2023

Glenlivet 24yo 1998/2023

Thompson Brothers
Single malt - Speyside
Buttercups 
53.2% ABV
Dram

Nose: Malted grains, hoppy beer, rhubarb and custard sweets, apple skins, brass polish, sandalwood, honey. With water, honey, apple juice, lemon zest, brass polish. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, loosens, expands, tingly. 
Tasting:  Bitter sour. Apple skins, apple juice, hoppy beer, malted grains, molasses, butterscotch, hints of rhubarb and custard sweets. With water, malted grains, walnut skins, apple juice, lemon zest. 
Finish: Long. Apple skins, apple juice, honey, rhubarb and custard sweets, malted grains. 

Comments: 

Oof. This is rather lovely, hugely complex, lots of apples and sweet sour fruit, but also feinty and slightly sulphurous. It’s well balanced but also layered. Very interesting dram.

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlivet 28yo 1973/2002

Glenlivet 28yo 1973/2002

Cask Strength, Gordon & Macphail
Single malt - Speyside 
Amber
55.9% ABV
Dram

Nose: Greengages, honey, vanilla, orange peel, oak, caramel, hints of toast. With water, honey, vanilla, leather, hints of blueberries. 
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, hot, expands, warm. 
Tasting:  Bitter sweet. Honey, chocolate, orange peel, oak, butter, hints of popcorn, hints of greengages. With water, popcorn, caramel, leather, hints of blueberries. 
Finish: Long. Butter, popcorn, chocolate, blueberries, orange peel. 

Comments: 

Cask 8847-8850. Rich and fruity, and tasting of great age, this whisky is quite classic on the nose and the tongue. There’s a very woody finish, which somehow tastes of buttered popcorn and chocolate. A splash of water is essential. Strange, but delicious. 

Verdict:

I like this a lot. 

Glenlivet Cipher

Glenlivet Cipher

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Copper
48% ABV
Dram

Nose: Cookie dough, vanilla, apples, white grapes, honey, hints of caramel. 
Mouthfeel: Medium body, astringent, thickens slightly, tingly. 
Tasting:  Sweet. Apples, chestnuts, cookie dough, honey, chocolate, hints of coffee. 
Finish: Short. Coffee, dark chocolate, chestnuts, black tea. 

Comments: 

A Cipher, so secret they don't tell you anything about it. Well, it's appley to the extreme, with plenty of chocolate and vanilla. A calvados barrel perhaps? Stranger things have happened.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 2.76 (Glenlivet 16 yo 1993/2010)

SMWS 2.76 (Glenlivet 16 yo 1993/2010)

2010, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Pale amber
56.3% ABV
Dram

Nose: Ink, pears, magic marker, coca cola, lemon juice, molasses, hints of thyme. With water, slightly cardboardy, plums, orange peel appears.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, syrupy, thickens, mouth coating.
Tasting: Bitter sweet. Coca cola, pears, molasses, lemon juice, honey, hints of thyme. With water, more sour, plums, cloves appear.
Finish: Long. Walnut skins, molasses, pears, coca cola.

Comments:

Quite a chemical bitter nose, but this gives way in the mouth to bitter sweet sour flavours reminiscent of Coke. With water the nose unfortunately doesn't improve, turning a bit cardboardy, but in the mouth the whisky gains fragrance and spice. A strange one.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenlivet 15 yo French Oak Reserve

Glenlivet 15 yo French Oak Reserve

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
40% ABV
Bottle

Nose: Raisins, vanilla, oak, orange juice, strawberries, cream, hints of peaches.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, static, turns slightly watery.
Tasting: Sweet. Cream, strawberries, cookie dough, orange juice, vanilla, hints of leather.
Finish: Medium. Cream, cookie dough, orange juice, hints of leather.

Comments:

Very, very easy drinking. Smoothly slips down the throat. Lots of nice oaky sweet flavours, with just a little hint of peat to make it interesting. A nice, easily understood, comforting whisky, something uncomplicated to sit in front of the television with.

Verdict:

I like this.

SMWS 2.65 (Glenlivet 29 yo 1975/2005)

SMWS 2.65 (Glenlivet 29 yo 1975/2005)

2005, SMWS
Single malt - Speyside
Amber
56.1% ABV
Dram

Nose: Raisins, chillies, baked apple, caramel, toffee, orange juice, cinnamon, hints of brown paper. With water, more butter, popcorn, toffee.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, thickens, hot, a little volatile.
Tasting: Sweet. Candied orange, dark chocolate, cinnamon, brown paper, egg yolk, salt caramel, hints of mint. With water, vanilla, more brown paper, caramel popcorn.
Finish: Long. Red wine, lemons, brown paper, chillies.

Comments:

Very much like egg nog, despite the heavy hints of brown paper. Pleasantly spiced, quite Christmassy. I can imagine drinking this in front of the fire with snow falling outside.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenlivet 18 yo

Glenlivet 18 yo

Official bottling
Single malt - Speyside
Golden
43% ABV
Sampler

Nose: Kriek beer, lemon sweets, iodine, calvados, apples, brassy.
Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, static.
Tasting: Sweet sour. Vanilla, sherry, apples, raw egg yolks, baked pie crust.
Finish: Medium. Vanilla, apples.

Comments:

Apple and cherry pie? That's what this reminds me of. Excellent value for an 18 yo. The slight bitter iodine and metal polish hints in the nose are what make this whisky interesting. Glenlivet is good stuff.

Verdict:

I like this.

Glenlivet 37 yo 1970/2007

Glenlivet 37 yo 1970/2007

Rare Auld, Duncan Taylor
Single malt - Speyside
Dark gold
51% ABV
Dram

Nose: Hint of peat, musk, hint of smoke, oak spice, apples, grapefruit.
Mouthfeel: Heavy body, full, thick, smooth, syrupy.
Tasting: Sweet. Peaches, sour plums, raspberry jam, overripe fruits.
Finish: Long. Peanut skins, orange peel, spiced barley.

Comments:

Cask ref 2018, 163 bottles. Excellent old Speyside. It's not easy to get something this old and at such a good drinking strength too. I think I bought this for an excellent price; not selling it - the fruit is too tasty, and very enticing with the slight hints of peat and smoke...

Verdict:

I like this a lot!