“Absolute Beginners”
Whisky Review # 1032
Country: Scotland 🏴
Region: Speyside
Brand: Glenlivet White Oak Reserve - Triple Cask Matured
Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS
Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: Mix of 1st Fill American White Oak, Sherried Wood & Traditional Oak
Maturation: Mix of 1st Fill American White Oak, Sherried Wood & Traditional Oak
Chill Filtration: Yes
Sample provided by Marco from Brazil. Many Thanks!
Price Range: US$ 60-75 (September 2024)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 if you can find it at around US$ 60
Buying Advice: 😐 Okay for beginners but unremarkable for the advanced fans
Price/Quality Ratio: 👍 if you can find it at around US$ 60
Buying Advice: 😐 Okay for beginners but unremarkable for the advanced fans
Colour: Light Amber (Artificially Coloured)
Nose:
Light, Young and mainly Sweet. A typical MMM (Modern Mainstream Malt). Lots of (Dried) Fruit, Caramel and Coconut. The Alcohol is noticeable. It's quite inoffensive and unremarkable.
Main Aromas:
Sweet Barley, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Coconut, Green Apple, Pear, Mandarin and Orange, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots & Plums, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Oak, Candy, Cinnamon and Mint.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Heather-Honey, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Toffee, Grass & Straw, Lemon, Dark Berries and Cherries, Wet Rocks, Almonds, Gooseberry, Caffe Latte and Ginger.
Sweet Barley, Caramel, Buttered Toast, Coconut, Green Apple, Pear, Mandarin and Orange, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots & Plums, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Oak, Candy, Cinnamon and Mint.
Supportive Aroma Accents:
Heather-Honey, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Toffee, Grass & Straw, Lemon, Dark Berries and Cherries, Wet Rocks, Almonds, Gooseberry, Caffe Latte and Ginger.
Young, Thin, Light and Medium-Dry. Mainly Sweet but presenting Sour and Bitter notes as well. The Alcohol remains noticeable. Quite uneventful.
Main Flavours:
Sweet Barley,Caramel, Heather-Honey, Grass and Straw, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Apricots, Dates and Plums, Green Apple, Pear, Orange, Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon & Ginger.
Supportive Flavour Accents:
Vanilla, Toffee, Nuts & Nutshells, Lemon, Mandarin, Grapefruit, Artificially flavored Candy (Cherry), Coconut, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Caffe Latte, Dusty Road and Dry Earth, Mint, Nutmeg and hints of Tobacco and Metal (Tin).
Vanilla, Toffee, Nuts & Nutshells, Lemon, Mandarin, Grapefruit, Artificially flavored Candy (Cherry), Coconut, Hazelnut-Milk Chocolate, Caffe Latte, Dusty Road and Dry Earth, Mint, Nutmeg and hints of Tobacco and Metal (Tin).
Young and on the Thin side. The Alcohol is noticeable. Quite Sweet at first but with developing Bitter and Sour notes towards the finale that comes rather quick. I find Sweet Barley, Toffee, Caramel, Vanilla, Heather-Honey, Nuts & Nutshells, Orange, Green Apple, Mandarin, Lemon, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Caffe Latte, Oak, Dark Chocolate, Coconut, Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Menthol and Metal.
Drinking Advice:
Added Water kills this Glenlivet.
Added Water kills this Glenlivet.
Rating: 6.5 (******1/2)
Nose: 7 - Taste: 6.5 - Finish: 6.5
*** Important Note with respect to Rating.
If the Final score is above 8 you can safely buy the whisky in question if and when it fits your Aroma/Flavor profile. If the score is between 6 and 8 you might want to try it out in the form of a sample or if offered at a good price. Anything below 6 should be left alone when you are looking for a nice sipping whisky. You might still like it of course & I realize pricing is an important item for many whisky fans especially when you are used to enjoy whisky in a cocktail or a mixed drink.
Drinking Experience Neat: Boring
Conclusion:
The Glenlivet Distillery is located in Ballindalloch (Banfshire) and was founded in 1824 by George Smith. Since 2001 it is owned by Chivas Brothers Pernod Ricard In 2018 a new production extension became operational that has increased the production to around 21 million litres making it the largest Single Malt distillery in Scotland. The core range includes The Founder's Reserve (NAS), The Captain's Reserve (NAS), The Caribbean Reserve (NAS) and the 12, 15 and 18 Years.
The Glenlivet Distillery is located in Ballindalloch (Banfshire) and was founded in 1824 by George Smith. Since 2001 it is owned by Chivas Brothers Pernod Ricard In 2018 a new production extension became operational that has increased the production to around 21 million litres making it the largest Single Malt distillery in Scotland. The core range includes The Founder's Reserve (NAS), The Captain's Reserve (NAS), The Caribbean Reserve (NAS) and the 12, 15 and 18 Years.
The White Oak Reserve I'm reviewing today is part of the Travel Retail range and therefore aims at a broad public. In many occasions this policy provides us with inoffensive Malts that won't scare off potential whisky fans. As such this White Oak Reserve works. But if you're into whisky a little longer you might find this boring and uninteresting.
Cheers!
Jan van den Ende September 11, 2024
Jan van den Ende September 11, 2024
