Glenlivet 14 Year Cognac Cask Selection

Nose: light florality, butterscotch, candied black cherry Taste: buttered popcorn, bitter metallic Finish: barrel, grapefruit pithe

Initially the nose is telling of the fruitiness of this whiskey. On initial taste this whiskey leans almost too far into the direction of Cognac, with just a hint of familiar mellow Glenlivet hanging in the background. Can't say that this is a favorite of mine. Although the price point of Glenlivet 15 Year French Oak is almost double that of this Cognac Cask, I prefer that French Oak many times over.

Spivey sweet nose with floral tones. On the palate it’s fruity with some pear and raisinetts. A bit of spice at the finish. Good Speyside whisky.

Nose is light, floral, with a whiff of orange peel...nothing off-putting, but also nothing to write home about. Palate has nice mouth feel, and opens smooth and sweet, with apples quickly leading to a burst of sticky cognac pear flavors that are just as quickly pushed aside by a very little dried (stale) spice and a fair bit of oak tannins. Closes short, slightly sweet, and with no surprises. Glad I tried it, but the core 12-year is not only quite a bit cheaper, it's also quite a bit better.

N: Strawberry candy which quickly softens to a fresh strawberry. That's followed by a pungent, tart fruit that I can't quite place. Then a lemon that leans toward a kitchen cleaner type of scent (which fits and is still pleasant). Dried red fruit drops in heavy like a bass line. Few hints of vanilla, toffee, and maybe even coffee lingering deep in the background. P: Red fruit leads with a big, tingly punch to the tongue. Wood tannins and heat get started early. Smooths out a bit in the middle with vanilla, toffee, tea with honey, and something that just seems to land between very dark chocolate and coffee. Finish brings more tannins, bitter this time, and less heat. A creamy citrus note (also bitter), plus white bread and white tea. Lingering bitterness and a hint of baking spice close it out. This is fine. Nothing special, nothing terrible. It feels like a small risk, small reward sort of endeavor. I would not repeat this. The 15 is more complicated and interesting for relatively little more in cost; the 12 more approachable and cheaper.