Glenlivet 15 Year old Gordon & MacPhail

Independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail have released a wide range of Glenlivet whiskies with the retro-styled “lion” label, and with the names of the original distillery owners George & J.G. Smith displayed prominently. The majority of such bottlings would appear to be either 15 or 21 years old, although vintages as old as 1937 or 1948 show up at auctions or specialty shops now and then.

I’ve seen both the 15 and 21 available at strengths ranging from 40% to 57% ABV. The reviewed bottle is at a most acceptable 46%, and is now minus four drams after having been opened for three weeks. As with most G&M bottlings, no specific date or cask information is provided. All I can tell you is that I’ve seen this bottle on the local store shelf since 2011, and that I finally decided last month to provide this lonely fellow with a loving home.

Nose: Apples—or, more specifically, spicy apple pie fresh from the oven—dominate at first. There’s also plenty of malt and oak wood fighting for attention. It becomes more complex over 10 – 20 minutes, with increased sweetness (more pineapples than apples now), nuttiness, some floral notes, and honey. There are also slight traces of dust and cigars that don’t quite work in this mix, but they’re slight and emerge only after a long wait.

Palate: Surprises galore. The arrival and development seem almost cask-strength, such that I first thought this would require a splash of water, but the milder finish is free of burn (and hiccups), so it’s quite tolerable neat. That said, a couple of drops of water opens up a few more flavors, so it’s a judgment call.

Sampled neat, the arrival screams with sherry, peppery spice, and fruit. If you like Speyside whisky, you’ll approach nirvana at this stage. Nuts, chocolate, and sweet cream emerge as it develops. I’m not thrilled with the tannins and old furniture that lurk in the background, but they don’t intrude too much. With a little water, the bitter elements vanish, replaced by more fruits, butterscotch, and a pleasant woody richness.

The finish is smooth and recalls the sweetness of the nose, although it ends a bit too abruptly. Not bad overall, but a slight letdown after all that came before.

Despite a few slight blemishes, this is quality stuff well worth the $70 price tag—if you can find it at that price, that is. I noticed yesterday that the local store has jacked up the price by $20. I could only shrug and think, “Welcome to the whisky world of 2013.”

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