Glenlivet 12 Year Old

Spirit Name: Rating:	Glenlivet 12 Year Old
Score:	89/100
ABV:	40%
Region:	Speyside, Scotland
Body:	Medium
Intensity:	Light-medium, but very complex
Texture:	Medium
Balance:	Heavenly
Best served:	Neat
Theme(s):	Sweet, smooth and simply delicious, this whisky gets right to the point with orchard fruit notes that are accompanied with bitter citrus rind that is moderated by sultana and some vanilla as candied nut praline fades to the nutty bitterness of peach seed and almond skin.
Tasting notes:	There is something particularly special about being blown away by a whisky, and later discovering that it costs about $50 in Australia. This was exactly what happened when I blind tasted Glenlivet 12 Year Old, both in my tasting room during my blind tastings and at a Scotch Malt Whisky Society Tasting (the Glenlivet 12 Year Old was one of my favourites of the night, but don’t tell anyone!). Each time I did not know what I was tasting and I enjoyed the whisky very much! Then it was revealed that the whisky was Glenlivet 12 and I was pleasantly surprised; finally, we have a single malt that can match the Glen Grant 10 Year Old as (in my opinion) one of the best value single malt whiskies in Australia. This is another example why Scotch is King; superb quality at great prices. Nose: Fresh, fruity and sweet would be three words that beautifully summarise the nose on this whisky. It is like a fresh breeze that carries lush green grass and a mild floral bouquet, without any noticeable harshness or roughness; beautiful. It is fruity, releasing luscious notes of pineapple compote infused with cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean. It is sweet, buzzing with that beautiful barley and the sugars of the distillate. There is something I absolutely love with whiskies that let the distillate shine through the oak influence, but somehow have ironed out all the other less desirable aspects of new spirit. Taste: The sweetness is not overpowering, as rich orchard fruits (ripe yellow peach) strike the tongue in their entirety; the sweet flesh mingles with a thick course orange skin that releases sourness and bitterness with the sweetness. The citrus rind is thick and almost chewy, and counteracts the sweetness beautifully; a sweetness that develops on the palate into juicy sultana with light shades of vanilla bean.  This is very smooth whisky, and very drinkable. It also has subtle shades of complexity. Finish: The orange rind becomes more pronounced in this finish, as candied, almost nut praline, sweetness begins to fade and the bitterness of a peach seed and almond skin develops, bringing with it some nuttiness.
Likes:	Beautifully smooth and drinkable, this whisky offers great balance
Dislikes:	Bottled at 40%, I am not feeling all the love. Glenlivet, if you are listening, raise the volume a tad please to, say, 46%.
Price:	$49.99 (Aus), ~$30 (US), ₤26.95 (UK)