Tastes

Beautiful story, beautiful bottle, delicious Whisky. The Glenlivet code is a tribute to Alan Turing who cracked the Nazi code in world war ii, and there is this great movie about it. It is not only a whisky, it is a game. You are supposed to guess the tasting notes, and then you have to go online using the Shazaam App to put the aroma and tasting notes and they give you your score. Its actually super fun, specially with a group of friends and it is also very challenging, and that makes you drink a lot more than one dram. (And the bottle is heavy and black, so you actually dont know hoe much you have drank). Bottled at 48%abv, tawny color. Ok, lets do this. FOR ME this was all about, Cinnamon, Red Apples and Vanilla Cookies on the nose. Actually pretty powerful aroma for a glenlivet. On the palate it was very fruity, Oranges, plums, cherries, and super powerful spicyness, full of Ginger. When me and my friends put all this (it was more than less a consensus) we got the first time 17%, the second 30% and the third time 38%. ALL THE NOTES ARE POSIBILITIES IN THE APP, SO WE WERE RIGHT ABOUT THE AROMA AND TASTING NOTES BUT, there is a very difficult part of the game and that is the INTENSITY of the notes. You can pick over mild, medium or intense and that is where we have failed (at least we think so). The game is great, the experience is great, the whisky is great. I truly recommend it, for me it was a solid 87 over 100, but the whole experience deserved a 100. Slainte!

One of the 3 retail market releases from Glenlivet, the "middle price one" this is a Solera Vatted expression, actually the best aroma in glenlivet. 40%abv Beautiful aroma, Honey, Vanilla cream, lots of Peanut butter, Fragant as flowers, Prunes, Wedding cake, So so sweet, Could stay hours just nosing this. On the palate it is a little simple, Bitter notes, cereal, Oak and Peanut butter. Finish short but surprisingly smoky, ashy. nice. Overall it is fair to give this dram an 86 over 100. I would buy another bottle because it is easy to pair with food.

The Glenlivet released some time ago the "Master Distiller's Reserve" expressions for duty free. The 3 expressions have different prices, the "Master Distiller's reserve", the Solera Vatted and this small batch release. After having the three of them i got to say the best one for me is the Solera Vatted. This review is for the Small Batch one, which is actually the most expensive of the range. It is numbered and its a fancy nice bottle that goes for around $125. Bottled at 40%abv. On the nose, it is very good. Prunes, Cereal, apple juice, Cola, blackberry jam, Pineapple, Orange jam, Hot honey, fresh warm Oranges. Great. On the palate it is very drinkable but maybe too watery and a little "normal". It is just pepper, apples and honey. Aftertaste gets a little better, with hay, honey and apple sider finish. Overall this could be a lot better. The palate was too watery and straightforward. Don't get me wrong, nothing off putting or bad, just not what i expected. 80 over 100.

A beautiful expression of The Glenlivet that i was eager to taste. Finally i have had it and it was a fancy dram, easy drinkable and smooth, a little too straightforward maybe. Bottled at 43%abv. On the nose i really pick a lot of notes that i would normally get from the Glenlivet 15yo french oak. A very refined aroma. Vanilla cake, Raisins, Fruitcake. Amazing And Fancy aroma, sherriness is present. Custard cream and Pineapple. On the palate, this is a wonderfully light whisky. Very smooth, Vanilla, custard cream and cake. Just as the nose. Aftertaste is where something slightly is offered, a very bitter, truly bitter tobacco note (fantastic). Ginger. Super pleasant finish. Overall this is a fancy dram, made for people who can afford it and want a very smooth straightforward whisky. 89 over 100 is my score for it. Very pleasant experience.

A really nice expression this one is (excuse my yoda english). The best part is the aftertaste but definitively is a well rounded dram. Bottled at 43%abv, golden color. On the nose, Apples, Wood smoke, Vanilla, Thick honey, wafer, Tobacco and Caramel after first sip. On the palate, Straight apple notes and Sider. Some nice spicyness, very pleasant. So fruity. Afteraste is delicious. Tobbacco and Wood smoke; Some Ginger. Lovely finish. Overall this dram is a solid 90 over 100. Truly recommended.

My fourth, and so far favorite Glenlivet, this Nadurra First Fill selection, has a solid aroma and a good taste. Bottled at 48%abv, with a White Wine color (the lightest color i have ever found in a whisky) On the nose: BANANA. a lot of Bananas, a whole bunch of them. Also a champagne aroma and maybe some spices. This Glenlivet does have an aroma not like the other expressions, with dim almost ghostly aroma. On the palate, it is an spice bomb, very versatile, ginger and pepper. Banana is also present, toffee, and a small biterness. The aftertaste is long, with liquorice notes, very appealing. Overall i gave this one an 89 over 100, and i definitively recommend this one. Beautiful.

A cask strength expression from Glenlivet, Nadurra means "Nature". I have had the 48%abv before and it was great. This one is totally different but just as good. Bottled at 60.7%; pale straw color. On the nose, chocolate fudge, earthy, Super appealing, freshly baked Brownies. Forest. On the palate, buttery, chocolate and cereal. A little straightforward, but it works. Aftertaste is a strong atomic pepper bomb. Since it is a cask strength, i added a couple of drops of water, it released banana flavors and aroma, just as the 48%abv one.

My first Lowland Whisky. I had a mini bottle of it, the worst looking mini bottle i have, i had no expectation for it and it suprised me. Bottled at 43% abv, pale gold color. On the nose is rather good, there is an alcohol note that can't be avoided but doesn't change the fact that it smells good. Perfumed notes of Vanilla and prunes can be found in a pleasant way. On the palate is also nice, with a pleasant tobacco, oak and black pepper. A little hot, but nice. medium bodied, has also a medium finish with spices. Listen to me, add two drops of water to this baby. It is rare when water makes a whisky better, this is one of those cases. After Water i got: On the nose, Toffee and spices that makes your nose tickle. On the Palate: More hotness BUT THICK. it changed into a full bodied experience with bitter chocolate but thick and very mellowed. Finish became better, with tobacco notes. Recommended Dram!

This one has a lot of fame, and some people even "dare" to compare it to a Glendronach, and i can actually say this os a good dram, but nowhere near as good as old "Glendro". Bottled at 43%abv, beautiful deep copper color. On the nose is way too powerful for a 43%abv; alcohol note is very present. Hazelnut, Almonds, Orange; Cherries, Sawdust, Tobacco. Strawberry syrup and Lemongrass. Cinnamon. On the palate is nice but very straightforward. Dry. Red fruits. Sherry dim. Mostly dry fruits, and super oaky. Aftertaste is a little harsh. Oaky, Grassy, Tobacco and Burnt wood. Ashy. Overall this one feels too much as a cowboy whisky. A little rough around the edges. Not bad, but this distillery still has to prove they have game. 82 over 100.

The fourth experiment of Glenfiddich, is quite a ride, and makes me feel like this distillery can't say they have a defined profile. Actually Glenfiddich doesn't have 2 malts alike or similar. From fruitiness, to chocolate, to peat (in this case), one can never truly know the DNA of glenfiddich. Bottled at 43%abv. On the nose, a lot happened here: Peat, burning Hay; Feels more like a Highland Park than a Glenfiddich; Citric aromas start to develop. There was this orange juice called "Tang", it smells exactly like that. Mild heathery peat, Definitively orange. Brown sugar; Sugary notes but not cane as expected. Very pleasant, orange sugar, heather profile. After first sip citric flavors intensifies. Lemon. Grapefruit. All this on the nose. On the palate, Ashes, Oak hotness, Heather. It is like a highland park. Artificial orange. Cinnamon spice. Rum. It is a little watery at the beggining of every sip. Orange peel. Aftertaste is not that good. Ashes. Cinnamon. Spicy short - medium finish. Overall, 83 over 100 for this strange but good Glenfiddich. Nothing to die for, it goes for $45, which is a proper amount for it.