Glenlivet 12 Year Old Illicit Still

Nice review. This is one I would love to get a bottle of…

@casualtorture thank you for your nice review.

This sounds just about exactly as I would expect it to be. Less dilution = more flavour. A simple proposition. True for Glenfiddich 15, 40/43% vs Glenfiddich 15 DE 51%; true for Glenlivet 12 IS, 48% vs Glenlivet 12, 40%.

I've never had a taste of The Glenlivet 12 Illicit Still, but from first hearing about it I immediately expected it to be good. It's not that the flavours are bad with these OBs from the mass produced mall brands--the flavours are just generally too weak, and the texture can be downright watery. 48% ABV is moving into the ball park for good flavour density. For my taste 48% would be just scratching the lower edge of good for flavour density. But that scratch can be adequately therapeutic to alleviate the flavour itch.

@Victor a simple proposition for us. Seems to be a difficult one for many brands to understand. I would love to see how much money they're saving per ABV% dilution, just to put a number on it.

@casualtorture it is important to remember that the mass market products sold at low ABV also represent commodity alcohol. There is a very very large market of those who don't much explore the nuances of taste and smell but want something to put into their sodas, juices, and cocktails for the alcohol effect.

The brands get around to catering to those, like us, who relish the fine points of taste and smell only when they are convinced that there is a profitable market for them to do so. They will still be selling commodity alcohol to the masses even if all the connoisseurs should disappear from the earth tomorrow. We are a minority group, so we get a minority share of their attention.

I would suggest it is more lucrative to sell higher ABV products. You can charge a little more for the extra ABV, you use less water so it is good for the environment, and you spend less on glass for bottles because the volume sold is lower...

@Nozinan @casualtorture - in the UK, if I remember correctly, taxes on alcohol are what keeps the abv down. And, apparently, they are going to be even higher moving forwards ...

@RianC Of course they are. Government does what government does....here I believe we get double shafted. A federal tax and then a state tax.

"The federal tax on spirits is $13.50 per proof gallon, (which is defined as one gallon of liquid that is 50% alcohol). For wine, the rates vary based on alcohol content and can range from $1.07 per gallon on products with 16% or less alcohol to $3.40 for sparkling wines.)"

Then Tennessee, which is middle of the road from what I understand as far as liquor tax: "Tennessee's general sales tax of 7% also applies to the purchase of liquor. In Tennessee, liquor vendors are responsible for paying a state excise tax of $4.40 per gallon, plus Federal excise taxes, for all liquor sold."

The older I get, the more I agree with Hayek and Friedman.

There's nothing wrong with paying a little tax. It's not the tax that's the problem. It's what it's spent on.

If they use that money to pave the road between your home and the liquor store, it's all good!

@Nozinan We spend most of it on weapons haha

@casualtorture, @RianC , in Ontario the consumer in a restaurant pays for an alcoholic product that is taxed nine times, ten times if a local or municipal tax is levied.

@casualtorture, Pareto had it right, we (the insignificant many) pay for the lavish lifestyles of the privileged few.

@paddockjudge Exactly what I would like to change... Do you think if I win I could be Minister of Malt?

@Nozinan… the First Minister of Malt