About this whisky

This is a whisky built around the cask. The Glenlivet takes malt aged for at least twenty-one years at its Speyside home, the distillery George Smith licensed in 1824, and finishes it in three very different casks: first-fill Oloroso sherry butts, Tronçais oak casks that once held Cognac, and vintage Colheita Port casks. The three are then brought back together, each adding its own layer of fruit, spice and depth. It belongs to The Sample Room Collection, which took over from the older Archive 21.

On the nose there is caramelised pear, peach and cinnamon; the palate is complex and fruity, with dried apricots, dates, sultanas, chocolate and ginger, and the finish is long, rich and warmly spiced. Bottled at 43%, it is a gift for a collector or a rare bottle to open at a family celebration. Enjoy it neat in a tulip glass, perhaps alongside a slice of Christmas cake.

Key facts

• Matured for a minimum of 21 years
• Triple cask finish: first-fill Oloroso sherry, Tronçais oak Cognac and vintage Colheita Port casks
• Part of The Sample Room Collection, successor to Glenlivet Archive 21
• Bottled at 43% ABV

Tasting notes

Nose:

caramelised pear, peach, cinnamon and nutmeg

Palate:

dried apricot, dates, sultanas, chocolate and ginger

Finish:

long and rich, with warming spice

Serve

Neat, in a tulip or Glencairn glass; a drop of water is optional.

Food pairing

Pair with Christmas fruit cake or nolen gur payesh, or with dark chocolate and figs.