The Glenlivet 12

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After recently reviewing Glenfiddich 12 Year, I was eager to explore more Scotch whiskies as soon as possible. Luckily, there’s another relatively affordable 12 year old Scotch from the Speyside region that is easily accessible in my area. And it happens to be from the the first Scotch brand I ever tried over a decade ago, so I was particularly excited to revisit The Glenlivet 12.
The history of the Glenlivet can be traced back to 1824, when the founder, George Smith, first built a distillery in the Speyside region in the highlands of Scotland. The distillery in named after the the valley where it still resides, the Valley of Glenlivet. Today the brand is a currently owned by Pernod Ricard.
The Glenlivet 12 is a single malt whiskey that’s aged for 12 years in both European and American oak casks.
❖ Spirit: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
❖ Distillery: The Glenlivet Distillery
❖ ABV: 40% (80 Proof)
❖ Aged 12 Years
❖ Lower Moderate Price
❖ Color: Gold
❖ Nose: Stone fruit, Caramel, vanilla
❖ Taste: Stone fruit, Vanilla, Grain, Bit of heat
❖ Finish: Long, Bit of spice, Apple, Vanilla
40 ml Scotch Whisky
20 ml Umeshu
❖ Stir ingredients with ice in a mixing glass
❖ Strain over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with slices of ripe plum
Since the stone fruit notes were so strong in The Glenlivet 12, I thought it would work well in a cocktail with plum or apricot. And it looks like Glenlivet had the same idea, because they had a recipe for this Umeshu Highball on their official website. They also offer some tips and variations, but I was most interested in trying the original recipe.
As expected, the grain, vanilla, and fruit notes from The Glenlivet 12 are the strongest flavors, and the cocktail is very dry. The umeshu is much more subtle then I anticipated, but adds enough sweetness to make the cocktail taste similar to an Old Fashioned. I liked the original recipe, but I personally prefer to add club soda to make a proper highball.
RATING: 4/5
Although the flavor profiles are a bit different, I think The Glenlivet 12 is pretty similar to Glenfiddich 12 Year. Both are relatively affordable for scotch, and serve as decent introductions to the flavors typically found in Scotch whisky. However, I think I prefer the flavor of The Glenlivet 12. I enjoyed the balance between the stone fruit, vanilla, and grain notes. The spice on the finish also adds some extra depth.
The Glenlivet 12’s lower-moderate price means it isn’t too big of an investment if you are looking to give Scotch a try, and also makes me feel more comfortable using it in cocktails. My positive experience with the Umeshu cocktail also gave me some ideas for future cocktails. Overall, I had a pleasant experience with the Glenlivet 12, and look forward to checking out some of their other products in the future.
As always, drink responsibly.
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