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Glenlivet Master Distiller's Reserve

Exactly what I expected

5 1972

@OdysseusUnboundReview by @OdysseusUnbound

8th Nov 2018

0

Glenlivet Master Distiller's Reserve
  • Nose
    19
  • Taste
    18
  • Finish
    17
  • Balance
    18
  • Overall
    72

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Distribution of ratings for this: brand user

So this wasn’t done in ideal conditions, as I tasted this whisky (two 50ml samples) from a plastic cup on a flight from Toronto to Edmonton.

  • Nose (undiluted): a bit of oak, malted barley, a suggestion of grapes, some hazelnuts, some milk chocolate
  • Palate(undiluted): thin (smoooooooth?) barley, malt bread, milk chocolate
  • Finish: relatively short, with barley grain lingering, and just a hint of spirity bitterness on the tail end.

So this is not a terrible whisky, but it’s not spectacular either. It reminds me of McClelland’s Speyside Single Malt. This is something I’d drink if my wife or my parents bought it for me as a gift, but I’m not likely to spend my own money on it. I’d guess most of what’s in here is 8 years or younger. It’s an easy drinking whisky, and if the price isn’t crazy, it might be a decent whisky to introduce someone to single malt in the “typical” unsherried Speyside style, but it’s pretty one-dimensional. On the bright side, it took the edge off the stress of flying.

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19 comments

@casualtorture
casualtorture commented

I agree with your assessment. I believe I gave this one a 70. Not something I would ever spend money on. It was harsh on the nose and bitter on the palate.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

I had it on our WestJet flight to London. I thought it was a slight improvement on Founders Reserve. It was actually served in stemless wine glasses and the pours were generous.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@archivist
archivist commented

Thank you for the review. Appreciated the straight forward take on it, but I'm glad it got you through the flight!

6 years ago 2Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

@casualtorture Perhaps the classy plastic cup tamed the nose, as I found that to be the most positive part of the experience. I may have rated it lower if it hadn’t done the job of calming my anxiety as it relates to flying.

6 years ago 0

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

@OdysseusUnbound I hope you find some good buys in Edmonton. BTW, if you are squeamish about flying, don't watch those Mayday programs on Discovery channel.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC commented

Thanks for the review @OdysseusUnbound! Not one I'd ever fancied and you've not sold it to me either.

I'm not sure I've ever actually had any Glenlivet?!

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

@RianC Nadurra 16 is the cream of the Glenlivet crop. Sadly discontinued in favour of a bunch of NAS crap.

6 years ago 4Who liked this?

@RianC
RianC commented

@BlueNote - That's unusual . . . glad it's only Glenlivet that would do such a thing stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes

Isn't @ajjarrett a big fan of that one as well?

6 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor commented

What a grand name for what sounds like a rather pedestrian whisky!

@OdysseusUnbound thank you for your review. We benefit greatly from reviews of common products.

6 years ago 3Who liked this?

@OdysseusUnbound
OdysseusUnbound commented

@BlueNote I’m downtown on Jasper Ave without a car, so I’m fairly limited in where I can go. Maybe I’ll buy a bunch more minis of this Glenlivet....unlikely, but you never know.

6 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

Here's something hilarious to me: a search on wine-searcher.com for The Glenlivet Master Distiller's Reserve for sale in the USA reviews one and only one listing, through my county in Maryland! This is the first time I have ever seen Montgomery County Maryland listed as a vendor on wine-searcher.

wine-searcher.com/find/…

That bargain $ 26.99 price is for a 375 ml bottle.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor commented

@OdysseusUnbound you are not alone. I have still never purchased a bottle of any Glenlivet, even a 50 ml size bottle.

Now if someone would sell me a bottle of the Glenlivet 21 yo Archive at about 40% of the current market asking price I would probably complete the sale.

6 years ago 2Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

@Victor What about Nadurra 16?

6 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@Nozinan, I like Nadurra 16, but I've never felt like I needed to buy a bottle of it. That was even so about a year ago when I had the opportunity to buy some and I knew that when those few remaining bottles were gone locally, that the opportunity would likely not be repeated.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Nozinan
Nozinan commented

And, I believe (ruefully, as we were not charged any duty coming home), I believe we may have left one on the shelves during our visit.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

@Victor You could have flipped them off to @ajjarrett for a nice profit. I think he’s down to his last dozen or so bottles. wink

6 years ago 2Who liked this?

@BlueNote
BlueNote commented

@Victor I had the 21 Archive way back when it was well under $150. I would love some more, but too far above my pay grade now.

6 years ago 1Who liked this?

@Victor
Victor commented

@BlueNote, yeah, what's a dozen bottles of Nadurra 16 to @ajjarrett? About 3 or 4 months worth? (Just kidding, @ajjarrett. I'll bet that they would last you at least 6 months.)

6 years ago 2Who liked this?