The Glenlivet 18 Years Old 1996 – Distillery Exclusive (50.7%, OB, 2015)

• Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• 50.7% ABV, £100 for 70cl
• Score: 85/100

What they say:

Exclusive to The Glenlivet Distillery, this bottle-your-own edition was distilled in 1996 and was matured in an ex-bourbon cask for 18 years before bottling.

What I say:

Dram #2 presented at the Edinburgh Whisky Blog’s Movember fund-raiser event hosted at Ruffians Barber Shop in Edinburgh. Another bourbon-matured Bottle-Your-Own Distillery Exclusive expression. This time from The Glenlivet distillery in Speyside and bearing Tiger’s fair hand. Distilled in 1996 and matured for over 18 years before bottling at 50.7% ABV

Colour:

Full amber gold

Nose:

Much fruitier than the preceding Balblair expression, this one was full of orchard fruits, apples, pears and peaches, hints of estery pear drop sweeties, some sweet honey and cereal grist notes too

Taste:

Smooth, silky and light, this one follows the nose with more orchard fruits, honeyed peaches, ripe apples, spiced poached pears in white wine with cinnamon

Finish:

Medium length, drying oak and spices persist

Overall:

We enjoyed the fruitiness in this one, but at 18 years old this was less refreshing and more overripe fruits. Hints of toffee and resin had crept in from the oak wood and sadly for me, made this one a little less attractive than the Balblair we sampled before it.