Single Malt
Scotland
BLANK
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 for the distillery. The winner was this limited edition exotic single malt, which features a proportion of ex-Spanish Sherry butt matured whisky. The Glenlivet Guards' Chapter has plenty of plump raisin, dark chocolate and warming spice notes to keep the Guardians happy.
I was given this bittle for my 80th birthday in September and decided as it was a special whisky to keep it for midnight on Hogmanay. However, when I tried to open it, the cork broke in two. One half came out, the other half broke into crumbs and fell into the whisky. I’ve opened hundreds of whisky bottles over the years and this is a first. Not what you expect from an expensive bottle.
Very similar to BenRiach 12 Sherry Wood Matured, for over 10$ less.
Really loved this one, the taste is smooth and the quality shows through despite the lack of age statement. Beware of the blue packaging though if you look to buy off the shelf, inferior variants now look very similar!
I was one of the many who voted for this one over the other two candidates. To me it shone out because of its balance. It had a classic finish. I typically like smokey whiskys but to me this whisky has taken whisky back through the ages to a time of more simplicity, the paradox being the flavour has a spicey complexity. FYI. We tasted the a vast range of Glenlivet that evening so it was not only being compared to two new ones in terms of forming an opinion.
Dried fruit and a touch of rubber on the nose. Sweet and spicy on the palate with the caramel and chocolate clearly noticeable with a bit of the sherry coming at the end. I'm not a sherry cask fan, but I found this Glenlivet nicely balanced and quite tasty--worth the $85 US.
