Currency and Delivery Country

We're just loading our login box for you, hang on!

The Glenlivet

The Glenlivet rather grandly styles itself as “the single malt that started it all” but there’s more than a grain of truth to its claim. In the early 18th and 19th century most Highland malt whisky was distilled illegally. Despite its shady beginnings, Glenlivet had a reputation that reached as far as London. Indeed when George IV visited the region in 1822, he wanted to try the fabled Glenlivet and was given something that was described as “whisky long in wood, long in uncorked bottles, mild as milk, and the true contraband gout in it.”

The man behind that famed dram was George Smith, a tenant farmer on land belonging to Alexander Gordon, Duke of Gordon. The Duke, not surprisingly, was a great advocate for reforming the draconian legislation around distilling so that he could commercialise it. 1823 saw the passing of the Excise Act which liberalised distilling but also provided more resources and power to excise officers. One of the first people to take advantage of the new laws was George Smith who built a new distillery at Glenlivet in the Highlands on what was once a farm distillery called Upper Drummin.

Threats were made on George Smith’s life by smugglers and the story goes that he took to carrying a pair of pistols to protect himself against those who stood to lose their livelihoods but he held firm. In this he was backed by government legislation and a sympathetic landlord. The statistics tell the story: 14000 illicit distilling activities were uncovered in 1823, but by 1834 it was down to 692. Illicit distillation never became a major problem again.

In just two years after the act, the number of licensed distilleries doubled and legal whisky production rose from two million to six million gallons a year. Glenlivet was so prestigious that it gave its name to the whole region, now known as Speyside. To help preserve his brand, George Smith’s son, John Gordon Smith, applied for sole rights to the name, which were granted in 1884 but allowed other producers to hyphenate it with their own names eg. Glenfarclas-Glenlivet, which is still seen today, though very rarely. Which is why the original is known grandly as THE Glenlivet to differentiate itself from all those hyphenated Glenlivets.

Glenlivet made a different style of whisky to that which was current in the region, producing a lighter fruitier new make, something that has continued to this day. The whisky was such a success that he built another distillery in 1850 at Delnabo which never really functioned properly due to problems with the water supply. There were further problems when the original distillery burned down in 1858, something of a perennial problem in the whisky business. In 1859, he opened a new distillery near Ballindalloch where it remains to this day.

As well as being sold as a single malt, Glenlivet was much in demand by blenders. Blended whisky was taking off in the 19th century, most notably by Edinburg merchant Andrew Usher with his OVG (Old Vatted Glenlivet) which was launched in 1852 and had The Glenlivet as a principle component in the blend. By the 20th century the vast majority of the distillery’s production was going for fillings but in the 1970s Glenlivet once again began to market itself as a single malt, especially in the lucrative US market.

The distillery remained in family hands until in 1952, when it merged with Glen Grant and eventually formed a small group with Longmorn and Benriach distilleries, and the firm of blenders Hill, Thompson & Co. Then, in 1978, Canadian multinational Seagram took a £46 million controlling stake in the business and The Glenlivet became part of the Chivas Brothers portfolio. When Seagram collapsed in 2001, Pernod Ricard took over Chivas Brothers. Under this new ownership, as part of a £10 million investment, an extension with an additional mash tun, eight washbacks and six stills was opened by the Prince of Wales on 5 June 2010, with the capacity of the distillery increased by 75%, to 10.5 million litres per year.

Today the set-up consists of two 13.5 ton mash tuns with 16 Oregon pine and 16 stainless steel washbacks. Distillation takes place in 14 lamp-glass copper stills. The distillery uses unpeated malt and according to former master distiller Alan Winchester still carries the DNA of George Smith’s mid 19th century Glenlivet. The range stretches from the sweet honeyed Founder’s Reserve, through classic age statements like the 12 and 18 year olds, takes in cask finishes like the rum barrel Caribbean Reserve, and goes up to stratospherically expensive very old releases. The Glenlivet is the best-selling single malt in America and the second best-selling in the world.

Smith's Glenlivet 1967 (bottled 2012) - Gordon & MacPhail

70cl, 43%

This Glenlivet was bottled for Gordon and MacPhail’s Distillery Range and is an impressively aged whisky from the famous distillery of Glenlivet.  More info

Smith's Glenlivet 1967 (bottled 2012) - Gordon & MacPhail

Smith's Glenlivet 1977 (bottled 2012) - Gordon & MacPhail

70cl, 43%

This is a 1977 vintage Glenlivet bottled by Gordon & MacPhail as part of their distillery label range.  More info

Smith's Glenlivet 1977 (bottled 2012) - Gordon & MacPhail

The Glenlivet 16 Year Old Nàdurra Batch 0911P

70cl, 53%

A single cask, cask-strength Glenlivet from the Nadurra range - aged for 16 years in a bourbon barrel before bottling in September 2011. This is Batch 0911P. Stunning stuff.  More info

The Glenlivet 16 Year Old Nàdurra Batch 0911P
1

Glenlivet 14 Year Old 1996 - Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

70cl, 57.1%

From the Signatory Cask Strength Collection comes this fourteen year old Glenlivet, bottled from its sherry cask just six days before it turned fifteen.  More info

Glenlivet 14 Year Old 1996 - Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

Glenlivet 33 Year Old 1977 - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

70cl, 50%

This is a thirty-three year old bottling of the world famous Glenlivet by Douglas Laing's Old Malt Cask range. The Old Malt Cask range began as a release of fifty bottlings in 1998 to commemorate…  More info

Glenlivet 33 Year Old 1977 - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

Glenlivet 1979 (cask 6094) - Mackillop's Choice (bottled 2012)

70cl, 46.8%

Glenlivet is one of the best selling single malt whiskies in the world so it's great to have the opportunity to try a cask bottled at cask strength that hasn't been used as a part of their range.…  More info

Glenlivet 1979 (cask 6094) - Mackillop's Choice (bottled 2012)

Glenlivet 11 Years Old 2001(Cask 9210) - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

70cl, 50%

This is a sherry cask matured Glenlivet bottled at 11 years of age by Douglas Laing for their Old Malt Cask range.  More info

Glenlivet 11 Years Old 2001(Cask 9210)  - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

The Glenlivet 16 Year Old Nàdurra Batch 0512T

70cl, 54.3%

Nadurra is an excellent cask-strength release from the Glenlivet distillery, made in bourbon casks and aged for 16 years. This is Batch 0512T, released in 2012.  More info

The Glenlivet 16 Year Old Nàdurra Batch 0512T
6

Glenlivet 30 Year Old 1981 Cask 9457 - Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

70cl, 53.4%

This was distilled at the Glenlivet distillery on the 5th November 1981 before a 30 year maturation in a single cask (sherry hogshead number 9457). It was bottled for Signatory's Cask Strength…  More info

Glenlivet 30 Year Old 1981 Cask 9457 - Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

Glenlivet 38 Year Old 1973 (cask 10658) (Berry Bros. & Rudd)

70cl, 48.6%

This was distilled at the Glenlivet distillery in 1973 before a 38 year maturation in a single cask (number 10658). It was bottled for Berry Brothers and Rudd in 2012 and it comes at natural cask…  More info

Glenlivet 38 Year Old 1973 (cask 10658) (Berry Bros. & Rudd)

The Glenlivet 16 Year Old Nàdurra Batch 0712U

70cl, 55.5%

Produced at the award-winning Glenlivet distillery, Nadurra is a delicious range of cask-strength, bourbon-matured single malt, aged for 16 years. Each is bottled in small batches, and Batch 0712U is…  More info

The Glenlivet 16 Year Old Nàdurra Batch 0712U
2

Glenlivet 16 Year Old 1996 (cask 79238) - Un-chillfiltered (Signatory)

70cl, 46%

A 16 year old Glenlivet from Signatory. Releases from this distillery are getting rarer, peeps… This one was matured in a single first fill Sherry butt. Yummers.  More info

Glenlivet 16 Year Old 1996 (cask 79238) - Un-chillfiltered (Signatory)

Glenlivet 30 Year Old 1982 (cask 6669) (Berry Bros. & Rudd)

70cl, 52.5%

A Glenlivet standing strong at an astonishing 52.5% after a full 30 years in cask 6669. Stunning Speyside whisky.  More info

Glenlivet 30 Year Old 1982 (cask 6669) (Berry Bros. & Rudd)

Dark Chocolate Orange 1977 - Wemyss Malts (Glenlivet)

70cl, 46%

A barely believable 1977 (!) Glenlivet from top-notch bottler Wemyss. Astonishing stuff and only 149 bottles available!  More info

Dark Chocolate Orange 1977 - Wemyss Malts (Glenlivet)

Glenlivet 11 Year Old 2001 (cask 9638) - Provenance (Douglas Laing)

70cl, 46%

A very rare 11 year old Glenlivet from a single cask. A fraction of the price that an official release would be, bottled in 2013 by Douglas Laing.  More info

Glenlivet 11 Year Old 2001 (cask 9638) - Provenance (Douglas Laing)

Glenlivet 11 Year Old 2001 (cask 9637) - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

70cl, 50%

The sherry butt which matured this Glenlivet for 11 years certainly gave the whisky a fine hue. 382 bottles came out of cask 9637, all with rosy cheeks and big flavours. Bottled by Douglas Laing…  More info

Glenlivet 11 Year Old 2001 (cask 9637) - Old Malt Cask (Douglas Laing)

Glenlivet 16 Year Old 1996 (cask 79239) - Un-Chillfiltered Collection (Signatory)

70cl, 46%

A single cask release of Glenlivet single malt Scotch whisky from cask 79239, which happened to be a first fill sherry butt. Distilled in May 1996, and disgorged in May 2013. There was enough for 774…  More info

Glenlivet 16 Year Old 1996 (cask 79239) - Un-Chillfiltered Collection (Signatory)

Glenlivet 23 Year Old 1989 (cask 23105) - Mackillop's Choice

70cl, 52.1%

The Mackillop's Choice range is made of independent bottlings of casks that are deemed to be worthy of the brand's name, just like this Glenlivet, which was distilled in October 1989 and subsequently…  More info

Glenlivet 23 Year Old 1989 (cask 23105) - Mackillop's Choice
1

Glenlivet 16 Year Old 1997 (cask 157420) - Un-Chillfiltered (Signatory)

70cl, 46%

Signatory's Un-Chillfiltered Collection has been wildly popular and we're sure that this addition to the range will fly off the shelves like a racing pigeon that's just seen a massive bag tasty,…  More info

Glenlivet 16 Year Old 1997 (cask 157420) - Un-Chillfiltered (Signatory)

The Glenlivet 16 Year Old Nàdurra Batch 0313W

70cl, 54.8%

Nadurra means natural in Gaelic, and that's just what the Nadurra range of The Glenlivet single malt Scotch whisky is all about. It's bottled at cask strength without chill-filtration, letting you…  More info

The Glenlivet 16 Year Old Nàdurra Batch 0313W
7

Glenlivet 15 Year Old 1997 (cask 157421) - Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

70cl, 55.4%

Cask strength Glenlivet single malt, bottled by Signatory! Yum yum! 603 bottles were produced from cask 157421, a sherry butt, when it was opened in October 2013.  More info

Glenlivet 15 Year Old 1997 (cask 157421) - Cask Strength Collection (Signatory)

The Glenlivet Guardians' Chapter

70cl, 48.7%

The Guardians have spoken! In late 2013, Glenlivet sent out samples of three different single malts to the Guardians of Glenlivet all over the world and let them choose what would be the next release…  More info

The Glenlivet Guardians' Chapter
6

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old - 1970s

100cl, 40%

A big ol' bottle of The Glenlivet 12 Year Old Unblended All Malt Scotch Whisky. You see, it is technically "big" as it's a 1 litre bottle, and "ol'" because it was produced in the 1970s. Hence, "big…  More info

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old - 1970s
1

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old - Classic Golf Courses of Scotland (Turnberry) - 1980s

75cl, 40%

A Classic Golf Courses of Scotland bottling of 12 year old Glenlivet single malt Scotch whisky from the 1980s. This one features the Turnberry gold course on its presentation tin. Did you know the…  More info

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old - Classic Golf Courses of Scotland (Turnberry) - 1980s

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old - Classic Golf Courses of Scotland (Royal Dornoch) - 1980s

75cl, 40%

Part of a collection of 12 year old single malt Glenlivet whiskies, all with an accompanying presentation tin featuring a different golf course in Scotland. This one features the Royal Dornoch golf…  More info

The Glenlivet 12 Year Old - Classic Golf Courses of Scotland (Royal Dornoch) - 1980s
1

Recently viewed