
So this wasn’t done in ideal conditions, as I tasted this whisky (two 50ml samples) from a plastic cup on a flight from Toronto to Edmonton.
- Nose (undiluted): a bit of oak, malted barley, a suggestion of grapes, some hazelnuts, some milk chocolate
- Palate(undiluted): thin (smoooooooth?) barley, malt bread, milk chocolate
- Finish: relatively short, with barley grain lingering, and just a hint of spirity bitterness on the tail end.
So this is not a terrible whisky, but it’s not spectacular either. It reminds me of McClelland’s Speyside Single Malt. This is something I’d drink if my wife or my parents bought it for me as a gift, but I’m not likely to spend my own money on it. I’d guess most of what’s in here is 8 years or younger. It’s an easy drinking whisky, and if the price isn’t crazy, it might be a decent whisky to introduce someone to single malt in the “typical” unsherried Speyside style, but it’s pretty one-dimensional. On the bright side, it took the edge off the stress of flying.
I had it on our WestJet flight to London. I thought it was a slight improvement on Founders Reserve. It was actually served in stemless wine glasses and the pours were generous.
@BlueNote I’m downtown on Jasper Ave without a car, so I’m fairly limited in where I can go. Maybe I’ll buy a bunch more minis of this Glenlivet....unlikely, but you never know.