Glenlivet Spectra

Didn't work for me.

It’s a good adventure for your tongue to experience the tasting notes. Bottle 1 taste like apples Bottle 2 is peat and smoke Bottle 3 was like 1 and 2 combined to make Oban

The last offering of this Spectra expressions of The Glenlivet, a set of three whiskies that have been selected by this distillery to show you the full spectrum of flavors and aromas that you can find in their bottles. I believe this follows the same marketing strategy as the Jameson Bold, Round and Lively, which are the "deconstructed" series. Bottled at 40%abv, golden color. On the nose, lots of creamy vanilla. A Pear overload again, just as in the 01 and 02 expressions. Vanilla, Fondant. If something like pear cream exists, that is the aroma you find here. Apple and sider. Very fruity, very creamy. Toffee. On the palate, it is a fair dram. Oaky, like licking a tree. Hot palate, Spicy. Chilli. A second sip revealed honey then more spicy chilli. Aftertaste is very spicy: wasabi but very gentle. Feels more powerful than what actually is. Very oaky. Cinnamon spice. Clove spice. Everything spice. Overall this was my least favorite of the three expressions. Overly oaked and simple in its tasting notes, the spiciness is a little boring. Not a bad dram, just not fun. The 02 was the best one, and this one deserves a 70 over 100.

Continuing my reviews on the Glenlivet Spectra, this is the time to write about what i thought about the Number 02, described as "it will remind having a bonfire by seaside". Well let's see if that is true, since i really need a vacation, and that description seems like a nice plan. Bottled at 40%, golden color. On the nose it is very perfumed. Right away you perceive this clean powerful fresh pear aroma. A light fog, cloth softener, sand. Very fruity, some mild spiciness like cinnamon. Foam. Feels clean and fruity. On the palate it is a lot better than the Number 01. Apples, very speysider. Nice and spicy. Some sulphur notes, tobacco and sider. Aftertaste is very good and pleasant. A nice smoky, peaty flavor; very elegant and grassy. Burnt grass, stewed fruits. Sider long finish. A cigarrette note appeared after 10 seconds of having tasted it, totally unexpected, it is like an extra kick, very interesting. Overall; this is a much better, rounded, elegant whisky than the first expression. I have yet to taste number 03, but it feels they hit all the right buttons when making this one. It still feels like a proper glenlivet with a peaty / smoky profile. Well done. My score for it, 88 over 100.

I got my hands on the Glenlivet Spectra, which is a set of 3 single malts (20cl of each) to discover the flavors and aromas that you can find over their expressions. This one follows the path of the enigma, code and cipher, to make the consumer try to guess the tasting and aroma notes, with an interactive game. The boxing is actually pretty nice, is a shape-shifter triangle, with a logo that resembles a lot to the "Triforce" from The Legend of Zelda. The box actually changes its form to give you instructions and a brief description of the single malt you are about to have, without giving you the tasting notes. There is a QR code to scan that immidiately takes you to a web app, that prompts you into wearing headphones. They try to "hipnotize" you into take the task of finding the flavors and aromas, and the intensity of them. Pretty cool stuff. So, this Spectra 01, is the fruity light character one, as soon as you open the bottle you realize that; bottled at 40%abv, golden color. On the nose, your typical speysider. As soon as you uncork it, you get stewed apples, pears, pretty light and beautiful aroma. Dark dry cake, sider, dark fruits, very winey and yeasty. Hay. After a first sip, the aroma actually went a little down, delivering hay, malted barley, a dim vanilla and a yeasty spirit. On the palate, it is a little simple and easy to drink. Grassy, it has farm-like flavors. Hay, barley, yeast. A second sip gave me red apples and prunes. Aftertaste is ok. Again very grassy, it gives you the sensation of licking a tree branch (not woody or oaky, but a fallen tree branch). It is very regular, with a hint of apples. The second sip was actually oaky, oak spice to be precise. Overall this is a yeasty spirit. It feels like your most standard whisky ever, the one you'll get if you do your own whisky at your house. It is nice, it is easy drinkable and it definitively has a Glenlivet profile. 80 points over 100, but the interactive experience on its own is a must. I like when whisky makers try to make me live something else rather than just the good "Aquavitæ". Slàinte!