The Glenlivet Tasting - 23rd Nov 2007 - Part 2

[Matt2]

Interesting, the science of stills is something I want to learn more about. So basically the same to start with and then mature it into a distinct family of expressions. A new make sample would be nice, see what it all starts from.

Lets try this different glass thing, I always use Glencairn because thats what I have.

15 in a Glencairn, big nose, lots going on, sweet and tasty
15 in a tumbler, nothing on the nose, lost in all that air?
Palate and finish remain the same I think, but you do loose all that nosing experience with a tumbler, which to me is half the enjoyment. (And yes friends always give me a funny look as I try and nose everything from wine to a pint of stella, coffee to a can of coke )

[mikeymad]

Finally had a chance to get though the tasting (lots of interuptions).

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Glenlivet 15yo 40% Trader Joes - Glencairn
Nose : grain, citrus (lemon, light orange), very light esters
Palate : caramel, more citrus, a bit or oak, and marzipan
Finish : all in the mouth, and fairly short, drying finish, light body
Comment : It took a while to get though the first pour, but it was enjoyable. It is fairly refreshing, and does hold up to have a large mouthful at a time as well

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Cheers,

[Ganga]

Interesting, the science of stills is something I want to learn more about. So basically the same to start with and then mature it into a distinct family of expressions. A new make sample would be nice, see what it all starts from.

Lets try this different glass thing, I always use Glencairn because thats what I have.

15 in a Glencairn, big nose, lots going on, sweet and tasty
15 in a tumbler, nothing on the nose, lost in all that air?
Palate and finish remain the same I think, but you do loose all that nosing experience with a tumbler, which to me is half the enjoyment. (And yes friends always give me a funny look as I try and nose everything from wine to a pint of stella, coffee to a can of coke )

You know that your over the edge when you start nosing your water.

[Ian Logan]

For me the stills are always going to be the 2nd most important influence on flavour. As I said last time wood will always be the guiding factor and the way you manage that will dicate most of your flavour.
Many things will influence your final dram but for me thses are the two big ones.

[Ganga]

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Glenlivet 15, Trader Joe's, 40%, nosing glass
Nose : citrus with very light pears, toffees
Palate : very ripe lemons, oaky, malty, spicey, red apples
Finish : shorter with a spicey oakiness
Comment : Very pleasing. Apples came through by taking a big wolf from the glass.

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[mikeymad]

For me the stills are always going to be the 2nd most important influence on flavour. As I said last time wood will always be the guiding factor and the way you manage that will dicate most of your flavour.
Many things will influence your final dram but for me thses are the two big ones.

Agreed... I put the grain so close to the still though (i.e. peated and non-peated), can make such a huge outcome in the beverage.

Cheers,

[Ganga]

For me the stills are always going to be the 2nd most important influence on flavour. As I said last time wood will always be the guiding factor and the way you manage that will dicate most of your flavour.
Many things will influence your final dram but for me thses are the two big ones.

Stills. One of the reasons Mikey and I always looked at the stills when we did our whirlwind tour of some 35-40 distilleries.

[Ian Logan]

Mikey,

Yes for specific distilleries that would be true. But for us at Chivas Bros. all the single malt we produce is unpeated. That doesn't mean it contains no phenols as you will always get them occuring naturally in the barley but would be below 1ppm.

[Ganga]

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Glenlivet 15, Trader Joe's, 40%, Celtic Malts glass
Nose : pineapples, bananas (bananan nut bread, pears, malty/gristy
Palate : citrus, little doughy with cinnamon, toffees
Finish : a little longer, esters and spices
Comment : This has been the most pleasing of the presentations.

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[mikeymad]

Moved on to the Large Brandy:

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Glenlivet 15yo 40% Trader Joes - Large Brandy
Nose : green grain, more esters, citrus has fallen to the background and replaced with more maltyness
Palate : caramel/toffee, bright citrus, malt
Finish : (the same) all in the mouth, and fairly short, drying finish, light body
Comment : The brandy makes this a much more intense beverage, but the enjoyability of it remains the same.

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Cheers,

[mikeymad]

Looks like we are almost down to a two man tasting crew here.

I am now pouring the:

Glenlivet 15yo 40% - French Oak Reserve 750ml - lv10098/2007/02/06 11:54

cheers,

[Ganga]

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Glenlivet 15, Trader Joe's, 40%, glencairn
Nose : malty comes off as dominant , citruses and fruits are diminished, vanillla
Palate : strong toffees, vanillas, bananas/banana nut bread, diminished oak, slightly astringet
Finish : moderately long, esters
Comment : Still a good presentation but I think I'd rather have any one of the other glasses.

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[Ian Logan]

Sorry boys, but its tough when we dont have it to taste but back on common ground now.

[Matt2]

You know that your over the edge when you start nosing your water.

But it did win me a £10 bet, tap water Vs bottled Highland Spring. Friend didn't really know about water and said its just water and no one could tell the difference. Mind you water around here is pretty bad. But let it stand for 24 hours and it gets much better.

Mikey - No pears! Marzipan or sweet almonds is something I have got before... funny how sometimes I just can't get certain notes - smokers palate maybe.

Interesting about the stills vs wood. I remember watching on Singlemalt.tv a bit about Glengoyne and they buy in some expensive and special grain to mix in (Golden something..), they say it is essential to their flavour.

Got to leave for a while, doing an informal just for fun cocktail demo at a local bar. Mint Juleps and Golden Glows, will hand over a few Glenlivet samples to the barman to show what their customers are missing. Be back later to see how it is all going. Keep it up guys, more are on the way....

[Ian Logan]

This one is creamier and spicier than the 12 for me.Look for cedarwood, fudge, vanilla and fruit on the nose.
For the palate rounder, oak, nutty dark chocolate and a delicate spicy/fizzy note on the back of the tongue as you swallow.

[Ganga]

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Glenlivet 15, Trader Joe's, 40%, tumbler
Nose : Everythig is tremendously diminshed, hints of lemons/citrus, grist, esters
Palate : well the notes are there but very light. Malty, oak, lemon rinds, esters
Finish : short, fading malts and esters
Comment : Yep, this would be the way to introduce someone not used to strong beverages and I don't just mean the proof.

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[mikeymad]

Mikey - No pears! Marzipan or sweet almonds is something I have got before... funny how sometimes I just can't get certain notes - smokers palate maybe.

Not getting it out the TJ release this evening (noon). I will be happy to get back into the standard 15yo release now. I was getting a slight bit of Mazipan in the Glencairn.

Cheers,

[Ganga]

Samples from MikeyMad, he's a good man.

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Glenlivet 15, French Oak Reserve, 40%, sm brandy
Nose : citrus (ornages, lemons, pineapples), biscuity, a little toffee or fudge
Palate : chocolaty oak and/or cedar, nutmeg and other spices
Finish : moderate with the herb spices
Comment : By far the best of the three. Heads and shoulders above.

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Ok, wind just kicked up. I guess we get our Santa Anas this afternoon and tonight.

[mikeymad]

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Glenlivet 15yo 40% - French Oak Reserve (us release) - Glencairn
Nose : big citrus out of the glass, orange and lemon, malt, esters, toffee, wood shavings
Palate : citrus/toffee, slight oiliness, warming spices
Finish : builds up slightly and then calms down leaving some of the spices behind, and hits of citrus, drying on the end (orange chocolate?), medium finish and body
Comment : This is simply a good dram. Has the complexity to drink for a while, but it does not overwhelm

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trying it again with the large brandy.

Cheers,

[Ganga]

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Glenlivet 15, French Oak Reserve, 40%, nosing glass
Nose : very light malt and maybe a little honey, pineapples and pears
Palate : fudge, toffees, malty, underlying citrus and lemony woodiness,
Finish : moderate, esters with some spices
Comment : More please.

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[Danny]

Joining late, but just 14:00 in Calgary.

Tasting with a Balvenie sherry style glass. 1/2 oz as I have to go out later this evening.

I will start with the 12 year.
Colour: Golden ripe grain, fall barley
Nose: Cereal malt, pears, honey, vanilla, after a drop of water the maltiness turns to fresh bread and the pear and fruits intensify
Palate: Opens on a bit of honey, get lots of canned stone fruit sweetness, reminds me of my Mothers home canned peaches, pears and apricots, bit of space and some vanilla, water again really opens up the fruits, can even taste some pineapple now
Finish: Soft, starts with just a bit of spice, then turns to all things nice. Honey and fruits.

[mikeymad]

weeeeeeeeeee we got a new player!!! Welcome Danny......

Cheers,

[Ganga]

Thanks for joining in. The Pacific coast is represented and Ian from Glenlivet is/has been here. We need more in the middle.

[Ian Logan]

I'm still around guys...... just comparing notes from the different styles of glaases used against what I have in my notes.
The Glenlivet style is coming through exactly as I would have hoped but the intensity of some of the glassware has surprised, a worthwhile lesson.

[Ganga]

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Glenlivet 15, French Oak Reserve, 40%, Celtic Malts glass
Nose : robust citrus including green Bartlett pears, light toffees
Palate : lemony toffee, a little oakiness, fruits
Finish : more than short, pears and spices
Comment : I think I like the presentation in the noser a little better.

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[Ganga]

I'm still around guys...... just comparing notes from the different styles of glaases used against what I have in my notes.
The Glenlivet style is coming through exactly as I would have hoped but the intensity of some of the glassware has surprised, a worthwhile lesson.

It's fun to try the different glasses isn't it. I also agree that for the most part it is intensity of the scents that changes.

[Danny]

15 Year French Oak Reserve, same glass, rinsed out.

Colour: Darker than the 12, more amber
Nose: Lemons, vanilla, some toffee, water adds to the citrus lessons the vanilla notes
Palate: Vanila, tropical fruits, hints of oak, spice and chocolat- water brings out pineapple and bananas, more vanilla-
Finish: Umm! Soft and nice, hints of fruit cake spices, citrus sweetness and some vanilla nuttiness
Comments: I really nice dram, why have I nevr ried it before

[Ganga]

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Glenlivet 15, French Oak Reserve, 40%, glencairn
Nose : lots of fruitiness, malty
Palate : malty with a hint of dk chocolate, some oranginess
Finish : short, bitter chocolate
Comment : This is a little bit of a different experience for me.

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[Ian Logan]

Danny,

So many people just see the 12yo and dismiss The Glenlivet which to me is a mistake. One of the best things is as the whisky becomes older we change the types of wood we use for maturation ( basically the older ones have more european oak) and this offers a spectrum of flavours lacking in mamy other distilleries. We offer fro 12yo to over 40yo whiskies, there is life beyond the 12 as you are hopefully discovering tonight.

[Ian Logan]

Ganga,

I am curious, what do you mean by a different experience?

[Danny]

Thanks, for the welcome guys.

Sorry for the spelling mistakes on the last post, I was just so excited

Ganga, I am sure interested in all the differences you are finding between glass types. I might have to get one of my Glencairns out.

Well on to the 18.

[Ganga]

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Glenlivet 15, French Oak Reserve, 40%, tumbler
Nose : bitter citrus, toffee, oaky-leather, vanilla, banana
Palate : oaky toffee, astringent with citrus on the backend.
Finish : short, oak with a slight astringency
Comment : Surprising what you can get out of the tumbler. However, the tumbler is also near three inches across the mouth so you can get some separation.

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[mikeymad]

Notes with the BIG brandy:

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Glenlivet 15yo 40% - French Oak Reserve (us release) - Large Brandy (32oz)
Nose : very intense citrus, slight oak smoke (campfire), very concentrated
Palate : caramel, cinnamon, citrus (pear)
Finish : slight pepper, some citrus, marzipan
Comment : this is not the ideal glass for this, the nose it too intense, palate and finish are nice though

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Wish I had the 18 to move onto Danny....

Cheers,

[Danny]

Danny,

So many people just see the 12yo and dismiss The Glenlivet which to me is a mistake. One of the best things is as the whisky becomes older we change the types of wood we use for maturation ( basically the older ones have more european oak) and this offers a spectrum of flavours lacking in mamy other distilleries. We offer fro 12yo to over 40yo whiskies, there is life beyond the 12 as you are hopefully discovering tonight.

Ian, thanks for the note. I have drank lots of 12 and 18, but for some reason have not tried any of the Oak Finishes before. Love the 18 and must say I am impressed by the 15 year French Oak Reserve.

Will have to move onto some of the older expressions now.

[Ganga]

Thanks, for the welcome guys.

Sorry for the spelling mistakes on the last post, I was just so excited

Ganga, I am sure interested in all the differences you are finding between glass types. I might have to get one of my Glencairns out.

Well on to the 18.

Type away. We can still understand what you're saying.

Well, it was like having a different beverage even though it was poured from the same bottle. I guess an example of this is looking at a sunset from night to night. Even though it is the same sun and same place on earth, you perceive it differently because the atmosphere (cloud cover as an example) or your surroundings (whisky, girlfriend/wife/significant other is around).