A straight-forward Glenlivet that’s maintained a high ABV during its 12 year 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel maturation.
Nose: Brown sugars and pink wafer biscuits sit with creamy meringue, freshly-made café latte and spoon of soft nougat. Bright berry fruits emerge (redcurrants) and are joined by garden-fresh sunflowers and daisies. Reduction transposes thing towards a more jammy outlook – with reduced berries sitting with kiwi and melon alongside grassiness with reed, flax and wet hay.
Taste: A fruit forward opening of strawberry boot laces and redcurrant jelly which transitions into soft Chantilly creaminess, aromatic oak and gentle pepperiness alongside white grapes and gooseberries. In the back-palate, more meadow-led flavours of cut wet grass and pressed flowers. Water adds a very pleasant pillowy texture – adding wild honey, spent coffee grounds and creamy mocha.
Finish: Medium with fading berries and gooseberries joined by a dry earthiness of sun-baked soils.
A rather well composed Glenlivet that contrasts defined fruitiness against the natural floralness and earthiness of the underlying spirit. Reduction is well worth the experiment here – adding both additional fruit-forward aromas as well as a lovely creamy texture to the palate. Good stuff.