Heather covered hills near The Glenlivet distillery.
Distilleries:
Braeval | The Glenlivet | Tamnavulin | Tomintoul
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| Braeval |
aka Braes of Glenlivet |
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The distillery was built in 1973-74 by Seagrams/Chivas. In 1996 the name was changed to Braeval to avoid confusion with The Glenlivet distillery (also owned by Chivas). Most of the output goes into the Chivas Regal blends. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
There have never been any distillery releases of a single malt. |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
A Cadenhead 11-year-old (1989-2000, 62.3 vol.), has a light gold color and a very fragrant nose with fruit, honey, and orange notes countered by an underlying smokiness. The palate is malty sweet with notes of oranges and honey. The finish is a bit spicy and somewhat tart. A very enjoyable malt. 81 |
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A Signatory 16-year-old (1979-95, 60.4 vol.) is from a sherry cask and has a deep amber color. Some fruit and flower notes do come through in the nose, along with a bit of peat and tobacco leaf. The palate has some fruity, citrus notes. The finish has a bit of oak and some peat smoke. I'm not a big fan of heavily sherried malts but every now and then I come across one that has a "balanced" quality (the sherry seems to work with the other flavors as opposed to overpowering them), this is one of those malts. 81 |
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| Information: |
Ownership: Seagram Distillers PLC (Pernod Ricard) |
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| The Glenlivet |
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The Glenlivet distillery with heather covered hills.
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| Comments: |
The Glenlivet distillery sits on a beautiful hillside in the heart of the Speyside. If you've traveling the Whisky Trail be sure to stay for a few nights at Minmore House. It's a bed and breakfast, converted from the home of the former owners of The Glenlivet and sits adjacent to the distillery. In addition to a very well-stocked bar, there's a lovely dinner served each evening. It's a terrific place to meet other travelers and compare the day's whisky tasting adventures. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
For many The Glenlivet was an early, if not the first, encounter with a single malt whisky. Unwittingly, it has become the standard of comparison by which we tend to measure other malts. It isn't a bad standard to hold to.
I am often asked to recommend a single malt that would make a good gift for someone who drinks blended scotch. I usually suggest The Glenlivet, either the 12 or 18-year-old, depending on how much they want to spend. Both are light enough that someone drinking a single malt for the first time won't be put off, yet there is plenty of depth to explore.
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The 12-year-old (40 vol.), light gold, has a light, flowery nose with a slight spiciness and mild oaky notes. Deceptively simple at first, the palate combines a complex array of floral, nutty, and slightly buttery flavors. The finish is long, in a subtle, soothing manner. Delicious. 87 |
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The 18-year-old (43 vol.), has a noticeably darker, medium amber color. The nose becomes more fruity, pear-like. The palate is much more complex, adding a sherry sweetness to the floral notes. The nutty, buttery notes become more focused, more fruity. The finish is long, dry, with surprising sharp acidic notes. A very special malt. 92 |
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The Glenlivet Archive 21-year-old (43 vol.) has a slightly darker amber color. The nose lacks a bit of the complexity of the 18-year-old, losing some of the peaty nuttiness. The palate, however, is rich with fruity, flowery, spicy notes. The finish is long , dry, with recurring spicy and sherry notes. 94 |
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| Special Bottlings: |
The Glenlivet released a 12-year-old a few years ago that is quite unique. It is "finished" in new, French, limousin oak casks. Most whisky is aged in casks of American oak that has previously held bourbon, or aged in sherry casks. The use of new oak casks adds a greater amount of oak flavor to the whisky, making the nose and palate seem much older and mature than its 12 years. Delicious. 88 |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
There are several very good Cadenhead releases. Particularly rich is a 24-year-old (1972, 51.8 vol.), with a light gold color. The nose is fruity, flowery, creamy with a bit of oak and a slight hint of bay laurel. The palate is very smooth, slightly thick with flowery notes. Exceptional.
Additional Cadenhead, Signatory, and Whyte and Whyte bottlings are available in the US. In the UK some delicious Gordon and MacPhail releases are available under the George & J.G. Smith's label. A 15-year-old I tasted in Scotland was very good, a bit more assertive than the distillery 12-year-old, quite smooth, and slightly spicy. 91
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A Cooper's Choice 31-year-old (1970-2001, 52.1 vol., sherry cask) release is currently available. The color is a dark, rust and tobacco. The nose is thick and complex with elements oak, raisins, chocolate, leather, smoke and dried fruit. The palate has a blend of the same flavors which then ebb and flow in a long finish.
If you fancy sherry cask whiskies you'll find the palate to be delicious in the mixture of flavors mentioned above. To my mind the sherry cask flavors tend to mask the subtleties of The Glenlivet. The result is a somewhat generic, "big old whisky" flavor. Not bad, but if you want to experience The Glenlivet at its best, try the 21-year-old Archive (above). 85
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| Information: |
Ownership: Seagram Distillers PLC (Pernod Ricard)
Telephone: 01542-783220
From the US: 011-44-1542-783220
Tours: Visitor center with scheduled tours. |
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| Link: |
www.theglenlivet.com |
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| Tamnavulin |
| Silent |
Tamnavulin Distillery
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About a mile South of The Glenlivet distillery sits the Tamnavulin distillery, which also uses the Glenlivet name. Of all the distilleries that use the Glenlivet name, it is the only one that actually sits on the bank of the River Livet. Built in 1965-66, it was mothballed in 1995. |
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
Remnants of a 10-year-old are available in the US, though they are quickly being replaced by a 12-year-old in new packaging.
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The 10-year-old (43 vol.) has a light thin color of white wine. The body is also light and thin, but the nose is quite aromatic and complex with elements of peat, cookies and a hint of smoke. The palate is sweet, with a slight taste of green melons and apples. A slight hint of smoke lingers in the finish. 76
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The 12-year-old (40 vol.) has a light, white wine color with greenish highlights. The nose has a delicious "bread dough" quality with nutty, peaty notes. The palate is very smooth, sweet, with tangy, citrus notes. The finish is a bit peaty with continuing "tangy" notes. 78 |
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There is also a 22-year-old, cask strength release from the distillery, as well as a 27-year-old Stillman's Dram available.  |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
I haven't been able to find any independent bottlings available at the current time. |
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| Information: |
Ownership: JBB (Greater Europe) PLC |
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| Tomintoul |
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The Blackening
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I drank a sample of Tomintoul (pronounced "tom-in-towel"), in a small pub at the back of the Gordon Hotel in the town of Tomintoul. At the time I didn't take any tasting notes, as I was distracted by a most unusual happening.
The young woman who was tending bar let me know that a unique event was about to transpire and suggested that I get my camera. It seems in that region of Scotland there is a custom called "The Blackening". When a couple becomes engaged the young man is ambushed by his friends and coworkers and doused with grease, oil, and molasses. The girl has it a bit easier, she's ambushed by her mates and dowsed with all sorts of foodstuffs.
At the proper time I watched as a group of girls hid around a corner and then jumped out as their friend approached. They threw buckets of eggs, porridge, oil, and flour at her, covering her from head to toe. She was then loaded onto a trailer and pulled about the town with her friends, all laughing and screaming. Eventually they ended back at the pub where they were joined by her parents, proud and beaming.
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| Distillery Bottlings: |
Tomintoul was released for a short time in a 14-year-old expression which is no longer bottled.
A 10-year-old is a full golden color with a light, citric nose. The palate is sweet, malty and a bit flowery. A very pleasant and drinkable whisky. 80
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The distillery recently released a 16-year-old (40 vol). It has a bright yellow-gold color and a creamy, lemon meringue pie aroma, with some underlying spicy and peaty notes. The palate is creamy, lightly sweet and lemony at first, then becomes drier and develops spicy notes. The finish is long and dry, with nutty and grassy notes. 83 |
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| Merchant Bottlings: |
There don't seem to be any independent bottlings available at the present time. |
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| Information: |
Ownership: JBB (Greater Europe) PLC
Telephone: 01807-590274
From the US: 011-44-1807-590274
No visitors |
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