So I’m still at the Tasting Room in Bath, enjoying some drinks on a beautiful Spring day, enjoying the fact that Toronto is having snow while I sit by an open window, listening to birds sing and drink whisky.
The truly great things in life are even better when one is an asshole.
Anyway, while looking over the menu, I noticed Glenlivet Signatory Vintage 1997 from the Unchillfiltered Collection. And yes, I know I haven’t had the best of luck with said Collection, however you gotta give things multiple tries.
Just look at Macallan, for instance: I find some of it pretty rough, yet the stuff I do like, I like a lot. Or even other Glenlivets. Usually I find them weak and not quite up to par.
So let’s see how this one stacks up. It’s aged in 1st fill sherry casks, after all, so I’m interested. And how lucky will I be to try IB Glenlivet? They sound like they are going the NAS route, which only means less to sell to independent bottlers (Citation Needed).
Price: N/A in Ontario
Region: Speyside
Abv: 46%
Age: 16 years
Distilled on: 06.11.1997
Bottled on: 17.12.2013
Cask Type: 1st fill Sherry Butt
Cask No: 157424
Bottle No: 627 of 825
Colour: Gold
Nose: Fig, cherry, red wine, pears, wood fire
This is a winter dram. And it’s snowing in Canada, I’m Canadian, ergo it’s okay to drink.
Big, deep, rich flavours on this one. Not like other Glenlivet’s that mince about being all light. Nah, this is a sledge hammer.
Taste: Licorice, anise, raisin, cherry, mango, butter
The normal fruitiness and buttery notes from Glenlivet mix, oddly enough, very well with the big flavours of the sherry cask.
I’d even go so far as to say this could be mistaken for a rum, it’s that strong. Which is impressive.
Finish: Craisins, dry, strawberry, sour lime zest, olive oil, fig
Big fruity finish, kinda oily, and just a little bit too acidic/bitter (I know I’ll get shit for that comment). More dry than I prefer too.
Conclusion: A really, really good whisky. Closest I’ve found in powerful flavours, complexity, and generally quality to the original Cask Strength Nadurra yet. Honestly, this is a must try dram. Don’t know if I could recommend buying it outright, however I can definitely say try it no matter what.
Also the day continued to be beautiful and we looked at Facebook and laughed at people in the snow at home. Cause we’re dicks.
83/100
Scotch review #282, Speyside review #82, Whisky Network review #418
tomoderawhisky.ca 
Reblogged this on Toronto Whisky Society.
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