Since a few weeks we have expanded, we are no longer two but four: and no, it is not just a reference to the pounds taken during the quarantine by force of homemade pizzas and buns, there are actually four of us! Davide, one of our new columns, lives in Bavaria and is experiencing how lively the culture of single malt is in Germany: we enjoy it too, since he occasionally sends us samples or bottles of exclusive editions for the German market. Today we taste a 12-year-old single cask from Glenlivet: cask #900168, first fill sherry butt bottled by Signatory for the 25th anniversary of Tara Shop, historic German shop and a well-known whisky temple in Munich.
N: uh, how nice! Very balanced, the contribution of the barrel doesn’t totally cover the freshness of the distillate. The nose is very rich: an autumnal sense of wet leaves and chestnuts; then let’s not forget the fruit, full and aromatic, with red apple, red orange, a veil of very ripe papaya. Peach in syrup. Then there are hints of cake, perhaps strudel (nice suggestion) or cinnamon roll. Really pleasant.
P: very consistent, with a few more spicy notes: nutmeg, cinnamon, a little chili pepper and even cloves. Another sense of underbrush and chestnuts, with extra hints of dates… But don’t forget the fruit, with red apple, tarte tatin. A little bit of dried figs, milk chocolate and a some leather too – the slice of apple that you keep in the pipe tobacco to keep it humid…
F: long and sweet undergrowth, pleasant, peaches in syrup and spices.
Very pleasant and drinkable, it makes clear without hesitation how convincing is the elegance of Glenlivet malt combined with the quality of an ex-sherry barrel. Really seductive is the combination between the ‘dirty’ and a bit damp notes, like underbrush and leather, and the more round and fruity ones. 87/100. We don’t talk about prices, but to give you an idea of how sparkling the German market is: a single cask from Glenlivet costs 65€. Pretty fair, it seems.
Recommended soundtrack: Jonathan Wilson – Just for love.
