At its original strength of 65% this Glenlivet would have previously looked and tasted something like the frenetically sherried, tactical nuclear Signatory releases that seems to greatly appeal to the particularly masochistic part of the market. If you’ve not tried one of those – you really should. And then you should hastily reach for your water pipette and think calming thoughts about balanced whisky. Fortunately for everyone else Sponge Edition 57 eschews the need for post-drinking cosmetic reconstructive surgery and presents us with a 1st fill sherry hogshead at a much less hazmat ABV of 53%. Yours for £135 from Decadent Drinks.
Nose: Cherries, berries and leafy sherry. A wide selection of red and black berries alongside morello cherries sit with plenty of aromatic tobacco leaf, walnut oil and baked tarts willed with jammy, jellied fruit. Crisp baked strudel sits with sponge cake whilst a glass of Happy Shopper cola is poured on the side. Once reduced further, there’s cinnamon stocks and ginger beer together with a cup of café latte.
Taste: Juicy! Strawberry gel and raspberry chews join cola cubes and chocolate whilst mentholated oak and boot polish sit with wispy tobacco smoke and underlying earthiness. Coffee ground and walnut whip develop alongside glacier cherry sweets. The addition of water offers an interesting juxtaposition of juiciness with dryness – leafy sherry with balsamic sharpness and grainy chocolate.
Finish: Long with chocolate covered berries and a tail treat of salted caramel.
You just know that this Glenlivet was an absolute monster at cask strength. And so I completely admire Angus for making the decision to reduce this down to a far more palatable drinking strength. Despite the diminished ABV this is still an undeniable sherry bomb – and it’ll still take even more dilution without losing its shape or expressiveness. Big, fat, sherried Glenlivet’s can be very silly things indeed – this is far more approachable. Some will likely bemoan the addition of water. I’d argue that whisky is about balance and enjoyment – not a highest ABV dick measuring competition.