For the first few weeks of reviews I want to spend our time
together focusing on the whiskey that you are most likely to encounter in an everyday
setting, such as a local pub or eatery.
This way you will be able to leave with some information that you can
immediately put to use. As things
progress we will move into looking at the more unique and interesting whiskey
options that are available for your delectation.
Let’s start off with what I personally consider to be the
most-common single-malt Scotch whisky you are going to find available for
purchase by the glass, whether it be at your corner pub, your favorite
restaurant, or anywhere in between - The
Glenlivet 12 yr. The Glenlivet
distillery, which produces this whisky, was founded in 1824 and is located in the Speyside region of Scotland (in
a later post I will delve into the different regions of Scotland and why they are important to know when choosing your whisky). The Glenlivet brand has the distinction of
being the best-selling single-malt whiskey in the United States and the
second-best globally (trailing only to Glenfiddich, which you will see in
upcoming reviews). Glenlivet is not only
available in the 12 year, it is available in other vintages we will discover
together as time progresses.
From start to finish The Glenlivet 12 year is a good
call. I agree with most establishments
that if you are going to have only a few whiskey options available, this is a good
choice for a Scotch. I say that
because it is not the absolute smoothest, but also not the most intense either. The Glenlivet 12 is not
insurmountable for the beginner who is not sure of what direction they are going
to head with their Scotch just yet and it has enough flavor to keep the attention of someone more experienced. A
brightly colored gold, as you can see from the photo, The Glenlivet 12 is
indeed inviting. My first impression, visually, was
that this will be light and on the smoother side.
When tasting a whisky the first thing you are going to
encounter is the scent of the whisky.
Take your time processing this, your first smell, or “nose”, of the
whisky will be a little overwhelmed by the alcohol; it is your successive
attempts that will give you the true impression of the whisky. The Glenlivet performed decently in this
category as it scored a bit over what I would consider to be mild but not
overpowering in its aroma. The aroma remained
light enough to encourage further investigation.
When I taste my whisky I like to take a drink and hold it to
the roof of my mouth for just a few seconds with the tip of my tongue, moving
it around a bit, then swallowing. This
gives me an opportunity to feel the viscosity, pungency, and smoothness of the
whisky. My first taste of The Glenlivet
12 made my mouth water, it was well balanced and, like the aroma, not
overpowering. The “mouth feel” was
decent, but almost unremarkable. Still,
it didn’t take me long to find my glass empty. Luckily the aftertaste, or
“finish”, was pleasant, lasting for about an hour after I had
completed my tasting.
Score: 3.5 Casks out of a possible 5
Reason: The Glenlivet 12 is a versatile whisky, a good common-ground for both the experienced and the inexperienced whisky drinker. The aroma was a little strong at first and
could be off-putting, but it was a decent Scotch. It is understandable why it is on the shelf
almost everywhere you go. The cost is very
manageable as well; a bottle will run you between $25 and $40, a glass will usually run $6-$8.
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