This 15 year old expression from The Glenlivet, was matured in French Limousin Oak casks. Limousin Oak is a popular choice for maturation of Cognac.
The nose is rich and oaked. There are notes of chewy resinous wood with a well-balanced acidity. Fudge and Madeira with apple crumble with calvados.
The palate is full and rich with winter spice; cinnamon and cloves, thick oak with developing aridity.
The finish is long and dry with a peppery note.
Took me a second tasting several days later to fully understand this malt - it's delicious. The finish slightly reminds me of Lillet Blanc, I assume it's from the French oak. Very good scotch if you're looking for something without peat, though I am a fan of peat.
I enjoy a nice glass of Glenlivet 15 every so often. It's a good change-up from my preferred drink. I'd recommend this malt to any scotch drinker.
One step further - I love how you described your experience with the single malt. Very descriptive. Made me go out and buy me a bottle at £31.
I recently purchased a bottle of The Glenlivet 12. It came with two dram bottles; the 15 year old, and the 18 year old. I found that i preferred the 15 to the 18. It has a smoother finish in my opinion and the sweet buttery flavors of the wood come through for just a really pleasant overall experience. This is relaxation in a bottle.
Tonight I as contemplating at my local store which aged spirit to partake in. I thought... "Single Malt or Single Barrel" I opted for for this one and at first took a deep breath and inhaled the sweetness of citrus, cinnamon and smoked oak. As I sipped the elixir, I could taste the notes of resins, nutmeg layered over a pure orange/tangerine coating my tongue with a smooth oil which was in reminiscent of almond oil. The finish lingered for a decent amount of time to hold me over between sips. I will point out that I found greater satisfaction by placing my whiskey stoned in boiling water, drying them and swirling them in the glass. A light fog coated the interior of the glass bringing forth a more intense nose and a complexity to the pallet greater than before. I recommend this to those who wish to have a decent experience at a decent price. I got it for $45 USD. It was going for $60 elsewhere, but even at $60 its worth every penny. I took half a star off because not only did it not come in a french oak barrel, but they didn't even seem to reserve one for me. The horror!
