Review #88 Glenlivet 14yr: Scotch
Score: 7.2 / 10
Distillery: Glenlivet
Type: Speyside Single Malt Scotch
What is the whisky that got you into whisky? For me it was Glenlivet 21. I loved it so much that when I was at WhiskyFest I tried it once, that I went back two more times for another pour, Might I add that this was at an event that had 86 distillers and 475 whiskies to try. I was also a fan of the 12yr and the Founder's Reserve as well, so I jumped on the opportunity to try the 14yr in a neat little sample size. Another very unloved way to sample whiskeys before you snag the whole bottle. Give those a shot when get a chance (pun intended)
A great intro scotch line in my opinion. You can go with any "Glen" 10 years or more as a start. That is a pretty good rule of thumb in the scotch world. Write that one down. This a bottle that is in one of the most talked about core line expressions that scotch whiskey has on the market.
40% alc/vol - 80 proof. Served neat in a Glencairn glass.
Whiskey Review:
Nose: Green grapes, honey, touch of vanilla and oak. A bit of lime when sniffing deeper in the glass.
Palate: Tart and oily. Very well honeyed, with grape and white wine fruit flavors. Light cinnamon and ethanol builds on the back-end.
Finish: Fairly short. Some heat, vanilla, dried wood and honey are left over to enjoy, but a little too much ethanol makes it through the finish.
Score: 7.2
Scale:
S+ Sensational - The Pinnacle (9.5+)
A - AXEceptional (astounding) (9-9.5)
B - bravo (step aBove average) (8-8.9)
C - competent (7-7.9)
D - disappointing (6-6.9)
F - flush it down the toilet (fail) (5.9 below)
Notes: Availability? Common. So this didn't come out as high of a rating as I was hoping... but that still doesn't ruin the rule of thumb above. Get out there and try some "Glens" if you are trying to get into scotch.
