On paper this sounded like a wonderful dram. It is good, but, only good to my taste, not GREAT. The problem for me is that for me, Glenlivet is an only so-so single malt, easy drinking and non-pretentious. A dram I would not insult or refuse if offered by a friend, but, a dram I would not seek out. Finishing this dram in a cognac cask gives another, slightly fruity dimension to the dram, but only elevates it a little. (I think the cognac finish would add much more to a more hefty dram.) Where I live this sells for about $25-30 more than the standard Glenlivet 12. It simply is not worth that. If you can get it for $10 more, give it a try and see what you think.