Glenlivet 9 Years Old 2006 Signatory UCF (46%, Signatory, 1st Fill Sherry Butt #901043, 2016)

• Category: Speyside single malt scotch whisky
• Origin:  The Glenlivet distillery
• Bottling: Signatory, The Un-Chillfiltered Collection
• ABV: 46%
• Cost: £44.71

What they say

9 year old single malt from the ever-dependable Glenlivet distillery, drawn from a single first fill Sherry butt! Said Sherry butt was filled in October 2006 and cracked open in August 2016 by Signatory, with the whisky bottled for the Un-Chillfiltered Collection. An neat chance to see some youthful though well-Sherried single malt from Glenlivet.

MOM tasting notes:

• Nose: Caramelised dates and brioche with chocolate chips. A hint of sandalwood.
• Palate: Fragrant malt shines through from the core, supported by sultanas and waxy orange.
• Finish: A lingering warmth of black pepper and cinnamon. A touch of sharp oak.

What I say

A rather young Glenlivet matured in a 1st fill sherry butt and at a sensible price for this reasonably infrequently Independently bottled distillery. This one piqued the curiosity of our good friend Whisky Rover, who shared a sample with us. I guess the chance to try something from the eponymous Glenlivet distillery that wasn’t a. an official bottling and b. too tinkered with, i.e. single cask, un-chillfiltered (as the collection name indicates) though reduced to a still weighty 46% ABV.

My tasting notes:

• Appearance: Amber gold (8/20). Slow, medium-sized, oily tears leave finer legs.
• Nose: Juicy red fruits, raisins, cherries, red grapes, some leather and tannin, oak wood, slightly dry and dusty on the nose like sun-baked or sun-dried oak staves, malty and biscuity cereals, a little gristy – like the mill room in a distillery.
• Taste: Fruity, sherry vinegar, raisins, malt, quite sharp/acidic fruits, berries, quite feisty with a sherbet fizz and a little spirity, oak wood, darker red grapes and blackberries, reminded me of a tannic and oaky red wine, cocoa powder and ground black pepper. Reduced with water this was sweeter with honey, and fresher fruits, strawberries, vanilla, milk chocolate and chilli pepper spice.
• Finish: Long, malty and fruity sherry.

Overall

Flavour-filled and quite malty as you would expect from a relatively young expression matured in an active 1st fill butt. I actually found this still a little too spirity and feisty at 46% but it takes water well and revealed a delicious milk chocolate note under all the dried fruit and tannins.

Score 84/100

Shop for Glenlivet 9 Year Old 2006 vintage (opens Master of Malt)

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