Background: This Single Malt from Glenlivet was aged entirely in First Fill Oloroso Sherry barrels and then bottled at cask strength with no additives or chill filtering.
Bottled: 06/14
ABV: 60.7%
Nose: Classic sherry bomb on the nose. Dark, rich, sweet fruits (manly plums), orange citrus and sweet raisins fill the nose on the first attempt. Going back in you are met with a sweet dark chocolate with a hint of pepper and cinnamon. This is a very rich and sweet nose.
Palate: You would expect the palate to be a lot sweeter however, it is still very good. The sweetness appears at first but then disappears as lemon juice meets a hint of the plums and orange. The spices come forward with a strong black peppery note being the stand out with a hint of leather. A rich oakyness develops as it approaches the back of the palate. The dark chocolate comes out on further sips but it is mainly a warm spicy, oaky, and leathery palate that is rich and full.
Finish: the finish is a good length, is very full, and balanced. The sweet notes come out in the finish as the dark fruits mixes with a strong oak, pepper, and chocolate. The finish is pleasant and lingering and leaves a warm, dry, and oaky flavor after a few minutes.
Rating: 7/10
Conclusion: This is a very good dram. The complexity from the barrel strength comes out, as does the rich flavor. The change over from the nose to the palate is a bit jarring as it is nowhere near as sweet on the nose but I liked the difference in the two. All in all this was a good drink and I would grab another bottle easily.
1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.
4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.
5 | Good | Good, just fine.
6 | Very Good | A cut above.
7 | Great | Well above average
8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite
10 | Perfect | Perfect