Review 168: Glenlivet 15 French Oak Reserve

I reviewed the Glenlivet 12 some time ago. It's a decent, easy, entry level Scotch. Let's take the next step up the ladder and review the Glenlivet 15 French Oak Reserve. Stay tuned, because my next review is going to be the Glenlivet 18! This Glenlivet 15, however, is finished in Limousin casks (that's the French oak bit), which I believe were not used previously. Most Scotch whisky is matured in American oak (from bourbon casks) or in Spanish oak (from sherry casks), so a French oak finish, while not unheard of, is a little less common. Let's see how it tastes and how it compares to the Glenfiddich 15 Solera Reserve (which was very good)!

Glenlivet 15 French Oak Reserve

Color: Amber -1

ABV: 40%

Aroma Neat:
Sweet Red Apples/Cinnamon Applesauce, Nutty Vanilla, Easy Oak (hint of char), Pear Juice (a hint), Fried Plantains, Light Oak Honey, White Wine (Gewutz: sweet, heavier), Copper, Apricots.

Quite apple heavy in typical Glenlivet style. The nose is surprisingly inviting on this whisky.

Aroma Water:
Toast with Butter, Apple/Pear Juice, Lemon Juice (slightly), Grapefruit (but not bitter), Fresh Bread Crust, Vanilla (thinly), Ripe Banana, White Wine/Seedless Grapes, Marmalade, Mineralic Barley, Hayseed.

Very fruity, but in an equally subduded way. If you pay attention it's quite nice, but the flavors are easy to miss. Nice bready/grainy notes emerge.

Taste Neat:
 Mulled Apples (slight cider), Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Honeyed Oak, Chewy Dried Fruits, Juicy Fruit (yes the gum!), Sweet Pepper.

Sadly thin, which I noticed with the 12 as well. Too bad really, because the base of a satisfying palate is there.

Taste Water:
Buttery Toasted Oak, Apple Pie Filling (lots of cinnamon), Nutmeg, Light Brown Sugar, Clover Honey, Vanilla, Juicy Fruit (again, weird!).

Spicy, buttery, not bad. I'd keep this one neat, though. Maybe a drop or two to stay hydrated ;-)

Finish:
Cooked Cereal Grains, Metallic (tin), Nutty, Green Oak.

Mainly short, though honeyed oak lingers for a bit. Nicely grainy, but with a metallic aftertaste which may put some off. I'm ok with it though.

Conclusion:
Fruity nose, which a lovely rounded oakiness.

Thin palate, which disappoints after the more voluptuous nose. Nicely spicy though.

Shortish finish, which is slightly metallic.

Rating: 80/100

Nice whisky and better than the 12 (which I may have rated a bit highly a year or so ago when I was young and naieve), but I'd pick Glenfiddich 15 of this without too much though. That is just much richer whisky with more depth. Glenlivet 15 is a little too thin on the palate to make it up to the next level, put still very pleasnt and easy to drink.

Josh