Difference between Glenlivet Archive 21 and Glenlivet 21?

[marinekilz]

OK still trying to figure out a bottle for the brother inlaw.

What is the difference between Glenlivet Archive 21 year and Glenlivet 21 year besides price.

Is it the same just named differently on difference site and so on? Please once again voice your opinion and knowage for me. Thanks for all the input so far.
On a side note, this simple gift is turning out to be more difficult then I thought with the more research I do into scotches

Brad

[jhershauer]

I've never seen a "non-archive" in the store. They don't say anything about other versions on their web site either. If it's bottled by The Glenlivet (as opposed to an independent bottling by another company), I think it should be an archive (it says "archive" in smaller letters right above the number on the bottle).

Note that they make kind of a big deal about the archive status, saying that only specially selected casks go into "The Archive". Also, 21 years is the minimum aged whisky used. Supposedly, they won't use a cask for this expression until it's "fully matured", which can be up to 40 years in some cases.

Jeff

[borgom]

Do you have photo's of the bottles? It looks like the 21 wasn't called Archive around 20 years ago but as jhershauer wrote you could just be looking at an indi bottling.

[Ganga]

I am aware of a different Glenlivet 21 which I do not believe is still produced. There was a Glenlivet 21 that came in a brown leather case. Bottle is squat and black. The quality of this one is definitely a step up from the standard Archive. Let me see if I can point you to a picture.

[Ganga]

I found 5 separate Glenlivet 21 yos listed at The Whisky Exchange.

21 Archive in wooden box
21 Archive
21 1980s bottling
21 replica (leather suitcase)
21 Chairman's Reserve

Here is a link: http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/B-40-Glenlivet.aspx If it doesn't work, go to their site and search under Glenlivet. Currently there are only 28 bottlings. Pictures are included for all 5 I've listed.