Glenlivet 17 Years Old 1996 Cask #165161

Speyside single malt scotch whisky

46% ABV, £44 for 70cl

Score: 89/100

What they say:

Distilled 5th November 1996 and matured a full 17 years in a first-fill ex-sherry butt #165161, this was bottled as part of Signatory’s Unchillfiltered range at 46% ABV on the 2nd October 2014 after 17 years maturation.

What I say:

It is unusual enough to find independent bottlings from The Glenlivet distillery, and less so full maturation in 1st fill sherry. Again many thanks to Adam for the sample.

Colour:

Dark ruby/blood red (18/20), thick-heavy tears

Nose:

Nutty, leather, chocolate, cocoa, walnut, deep red fruits, strawberry, creamy malt, chocolate coated malted milk biscuits, figs, dates, tobacco leaf

Taste:

Rich dark chocolate, red fruits, raisin, molasses, treacle, malty, marmite, hints of rubber/bicycyle tyres, sulphur and iron

Finish:

Long, fruity, cocoa, tannic, iron filings

Overall:

A delicious expression, I’m not sure how much base Glenlivet spirit is decipherable under a mass of heavy sherry cask influence but this is doe to perfection. Perhaps just a hint of sulphur and iron at the end, but this didn’t even detract from the dram as whole. Deep malty chocolate and marmite, sounds like a crazy combination but it just works.