Back when I first got into whisky, this was my gold standard for single malt Scotch. It was the first 18-year old I'd ever had, and it was under $100 back then. The latter is no longer the case, but the jury is still out on whether the juice holds up against everything I've tried since. Let's find out. Quick note: This bottle comes in the packaging that was up until a couple years ago. It's still 43% ABV though, unlike some of the even older ones. Nose: Standard Speyside recipe, in a good way. Vibrant fruit and floral notes. Apple, apricot, pear, peach, and plum. There's also plenty of vanilla, toffee, and malt. Some honey sweetness contrasted by baking spice. Some caramel, cocoa, and a beautiful oak note. Cherry, graham cracker, and jelly develop after bout a half an hour. Reminds me of an autumn evening. Solid start. Palate: The caramel, honey, malt, vanilla, and toffee notes shift to the shift of the palate. Apricot and ginger. Red and green apple. Pear, peach, and plum. A little blood orange and grapefruit citrus as well. Caramel, fudge, cocoa, and another nice hit of oak. Honeydew develops after about a half an hour. Great stuff. Finish: Vanilla, caramel, graham cracker, and oak. Cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg. Medium length. Surprisingly respectable at 43% ABV. Once upon a time, Glenlivet was my one of favorite distilleries. There may have been a time when it was favorite. Recently, I've been pretty harsh with the 12 and the 15. As far as the core lineup goes, this one is the only one that holds up from back then. This and the Nadurra line are the backbone of the Glenlivet Distillery. This absolutely holds up, as surprised as I am to say it. Well worth the cost of entry. Up from $90 to $104, it's still the cheapest 18 year old single malt that's readily available in my neck of the woods. And it's better than a lot of the more expensive 18-year old options. With this, Glenlivet saves face. The 12 and the 15 are just barely enjoyable whiskies. This one holds its own. In fact, it's a damn good dram. I give it my recommendation. This is proof enough that Glenlivet, or any whisky, should not be bottled below $3% ABV. This may not be my gold standard, but it's still a hell of a whisky. Cheers.