Tastes

Nose is light and sweet with vanilla, honey, salt, mixed nuts and orange marmalade with a touch of smoke. The sweetness needs some time to appear, but it does. Rich, creamy texture. Cinnamon spice and brown sugar or caramel arrive on the palate. Hint of smoke and iodine. The black pepper spice is late on arrival and is all over as well as dried nuts. As it fades, drying oak tannins and the carmelized-brown sugar remain on the palate. Dry and sweet long finish. This dram has a wonderful balance of sweetness, dryness, smoke and spice. A great dram at a good price. Always a favorite. [Dry Glass: Damp hay and butterscotch] [88/100][Revisited 9/13/14; 5/30/15; 3/13/16; 10/30/16]

Strong warm banana nut bread with vanilla and white fruit nose. As it arrives on the palate, honey sweet and caramel and nutty flavors from the sherry are contained within a light body. A medium long finish of brown sugar remain and ground cinnamon invite you to enjoy more of the Irish. A top notch sweet Irish whiskey at a respectable price. Easy to sip. Better to enjoy with company. Get a bottle if you can find it. [$44; $55][92/100]. [Opened 3/17/2014]. [Revisited: 2/15/15 - with good friends and family;11/22/15]

Nose is sweet and lots of vanilla. Some smoke or peat. Pleasant, even almost safe. Slight burn to the palette. Creamy, medium body. Short, bitter finish with oak, vanilla and smoke. A nice and easy dram. Very enjoyable when you want to sit back and enjoy. [$45]

Brown sugar and floral nose that is inviting, light and fresh. Light on the palate. Caramel, toffee, vanilla with a hint of fruit. and strong vanilla. As it gently dissipates, your palate is left with a dash of pepper, a hint of honey and green apple. This is better then I recall from my original review (what up with that?). This is how baseline Glenlivet should be: clean, fresh and natural. [$78][89/100]. [Tasted 3/1/2014 @ NYY Steakhouse]. [Revisited: 3/5/2015 @ Trumbull Kitchen]

Tasted 3/1/2014 @ NYY Steak House : Nose: Sweet. Hints of orange pineapple. Taste: Oily/ buttery hints of vanilla. Medium finish. Medicinal aftertaste. Oak taste.

A Pavlonion response immediately occurs on first nosing which begins with salted caramel blended with sweet smoke, bacon and hints and sea salt. A sweeter nose than peaty. On arrival, a full bodied delivers the brown sugar, oak, tannins, phenols all are masterfully balanced. A long, lingering finish with with oak and drying tannins remaining with wisps of brown sugar and cigar tobacco. Like smoking a fine cigar that you never want to end and look forward for more. The addition of water heightens the sweetness and brininess. The sweetness is accentuated on the palate as well as the spicy black pepper notes on the finish. A small amount of water improves this dram and is preferred. This is a favorite that strikes the correct balance of sweetness, saltiness, smokiness, peatiness and spiciness. A dram that requires patience and time that brings out the best qualities of a fine whisky. [$49][94/100]. [Revisited: 4/26/15]

Light peat nose with hints of caramel and fruity sweetness engulfed with ocean breeze air/sea salt. Palate is rich and creamy. Tongue burn comes on late with a bite, but fades gracefully. Hints of orange and brown sugar as it finishes, leaving sweet vanilla on the palate. Adding water seems to weaken nose. Bite not as hard. Water evens out the taste and finish. I like this better straight.