Category Archives: Glenlivet
The Glenlivet 16yo Nàdurra
Whisky: The Glenlivet 16yo Nàdurra, 55.1%, 75cl
Batch No. 0309H
R610 ≈ £53
Nadurra is Gaelic for natural, signifying the cask strength, uncoloured and non-chilled filtered aspects of this whisky. (Unlike the rest of The Glenlivet core range) Matured entirely in first fill American oak casks, this expression was first released in 2005.
Nose: Full of juicy summer fruits; mangos and pineapple. The high alcohol content injects vibrancy into the nose. A sprinkle of nuts, which combined with the sweetness of the fruity notes, smells like nougat.
Taste: Lovely – although it’ll elbow you in the teeth if you aren’t careful. Very silky, quite smooth, and lots of flavour. Fruits are still abound but less sweet, and the better for it.
Finish: Long, fiesty and hot. And yet still refreshing and invigorating.
My Score: 85/100
I know this may not be on the top of many whisky drinker’s list when it comes to summer drinks, but the flavours and vibrancy of this whisky lend itself to a summer dram. Reading other reviews on this, it is evident the batches do vary, but it appears not greatly enough that you risk being disappointed.
Scores: JH 84
The Glenlivet 18yo
Whisky: The Glenlivet 18, 43% ABV, 75cl
Purchased from John Wilson, Sandton City mall, South Africa. R750 ≈ £66.
This whisky holds a special place in my heart. When I returned to South Africa in 2005 I had a bottle of The Glenlivet 18yo in my suitcase. Its origins are a little dubious and don’t reflect particularly well on me, so I’m choosing to omit the details! Regardless of how the bottle came into my possession, it was my first REAL bottle of Scotch whisky – quite karmic then that it is also my first review on this blog. Over the next two or so years, I had the odd pour on special occasions, and although at the time I hardly knew anything about whisky and hadn’t tasted very many, I had the sense that The Glenlivet 18 was something special.
As my birthday just past, my employers gave me a R500 gift voucher to the mall (thanks guys). So after work yesterday I headed straight to Sandton City to see what I could get. After the usual browsing and deliberations, this time with a copy of Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion assisting, I finally decided to get a bottle of The Glenlivet 18yo, specifically to see if after the past few years my first whisky crush could still make my palms sweaty.
Nose: Soft, with no particular notes rushing out the glass, instead you need to go in there after them. When you do though, you are rewarded. It’s like entering a log cabin; fresh wood, clean air with flowers in the background, but without the mustiness. There is faint sweetness, both custard and some light fruits.
Taste: The softness continues. Incredibly smooth, with a medium mouthfeel. You can leave this in your mouth for days without getting the alcohol tingle. A pleasant mild drying of the mouth. The faint sweetness like a dull vanilla appears, then disappears, just long enough to enjoy it, and then look forward to it again.
Finish: A little more dryness, still pleasant though. After a brief pause soft wood re-emerges and warms the mouth. Then the softness begs you to take another sip. I just wished it lingered a little longer.
My Score: 80/100
Perhaps less like an old crush, and more like an old romance. This dram was enjoyable to encounter again, like running into an ex-girlfriend at the grocers; It’s good to see her, good to briefly remember fun times, but you don’t miss her. The Glenlivet 18yo is a solid dram and I don’t regret buying it. More suited to a late evening, quiet drink after a long night out, this dram won’t get the party started, but it will usher in sweet dreams.
Scores: JM 09 = 83.5/100 (Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2009), MJ = 87/100 (Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion 5th Ed.), MM = 80/100 (Malt Madness)
