This venerable Glenlivet stems from George & J.G. Smith’s series. If the reduction may still worry us, we know that the Gordon & MacPhail’s skills in the subject are not to be overlooked. Let’s see then what this Speysider straight from the 70’s has to offer…
Nose : the lead of the nose is quite complete : honey, custard, mineral side (sparkling water), chlorophyll gum (light). A hint of narghile coal is mixed up in it , just as an acidic fruitiness (red currant, blackcurrant). It’s up to financiers, malt, almond pie but also wax to appear. If it comes massively , unequivocal, it shows a nice refinement when flavors work through.
It opens on sponge cake, candied lemon and pineapple juice. It’s a very beautiful nose with the fruit sourness and the sweetness of the pastry. We end on the cider apples, the mint, the spring onion and pastry milk-caramel.
Mouth : some nose tracers are back : the narghile coal and the wax come together. We have a strong expression of this characteristic before the sour apple, the malt, the wood (a bit dry) and dried fruits (almonds) being there again. The second part of the mouth is less marked. We taste umami, a honey-wax return but also fresh notes (mint, mineral side).
Finish : It’s a pity that the finish, medium for that matter, is so abrupt in its fall. We perceive the freshness previously described, the wax, the dry woody, the sourness of the lemon. The aftertaste is watermarked with apple, spring onion, mineral facet and the dry woodiness. The narghile coal comes back afterwards.
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