The nose on this one, although pleasant, is surprisingly flat. There are notes of candied lemon, honey, honeysuckle, golden raisins, and a surprising herbal character somewhere in the neighborhood of mint and tarragon. The palate is immediately sweet and floral as you’d expect from any Glenlivet. While initially it comes across very similarly to the Glenlivet 12, with heavily honeyed, floral notes, the cognac casks begin to make their presence known here with some interesting notes of cooked raisins, light baking spice, and a bit of buttery shortbread cookies. The finish however is where this whisky really shines. The immediate impression is of English toffee, roasted nuts, lemon drop candies, and a particular rancio note that I’ve come to associate with a well aged Armagnac. This dram doesn’t blow me away, but for around $40-$50 per bottle, it’s quite a respectable pour.