The Glenlivet Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish
I’ve just had a great opportunity to sample three of The Glenlivet Nàdurra Expressions including their latest release: the Peated Whisky Cask Finish.
The malts sampled were:-
- The Glenlivet Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish: Cask Strength
- The Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection
- The Glenlivet Nàdurra Olorosso Matured
The Glenlivet has launched a third expression for its celebrated Nàdurra range, as it continues to honour the historic traditions of making single malt whisky through new and innovative cask finishes. The Glenlivet Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish is the first release to have a subtle, smoky taste profile, having been finished in American oak casks that have previously held heavily-peated Scotch whisky.
Bottled at 61.5% ABV cask strength
Bottled at 61.5% ABV cask strength, The Glenlivet Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish is inspired by the authentic production processes used at The Glenlivet Distillery by its founder, George Smith, who originally used peat smoke to dry the malted barley. Finished in peated casks, the classic, smooth and fruity house style that has made the range so famous has been enriched with gentle, aromatic smoky notes, to offer a brand new The Glenlivet experience to whisky enthusiasts. The expression will also be available in Global Travel Retail at 48% ABV.
Available in nine domestic markets, including USA and France, and Global Travel Retail from October 2015, the release follows the launch of The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso and The Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection in 2014. The Glenlivet craftsmen individually nosed each cask to ensure the perfect balance between fruit and smoke in the whisky, which has been bottled in small batches with no chill-filtration to offer the complexity, full body and distinctively creamy texture of a whisky that has just been drawn from the cask.
Tasting Notes – The Glenlivet Nàdurra Peated Whisky Cask Finish: Cask Strength (61.5%)
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Nose: Pale straw colour. Thick vanilla with smatterings of pears and apples. Later there comes a peaty undertow, some burnt wood and a little smoke. Palate: The peat is quite subtle and a ways down. There’s vanilla, caramel and some zesty fruit all wrapped up in a cask strength punch! Finish: A Spicy finish that’s long with the vanilla sweetness running through it. The peat is pretty subtle and the smokiness comes in right at the end that’s joined by some tobacco. Overall: If you like your peat .. sweet, then this ones for you! I was warming to this one at the end and as ever, if you’re sampling a few drams always leave the peated ones till the last! |
Tasting Notes – The Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection (63.1%)
The Glenlivet Nadurra First Fill
The Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection is drawn from casks made from American White Oak that have never before been used to mature Scotch whisky.
These casks have always been a popular choice of distillers at The Glenlivet since the early 1900s, imparting hints of creamy vanilla to the malt whisky.
The release follows the initial launch of The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso.
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Nose: Pale straw colour. Sweet pears, tropical fruits all covered in a vanilla haze – delightful! Palate: Autumn apples, juicy pears and pineapple juice. There’s some banana in there as well, almost like banana milk. Finish: Smooth finish, slightly dry with grapefruit overtones but no spice of any real note. Just fruity sweetness. Overall: All the signature Glenlivet notes are there all wrapped up in a robust 63% package. A nice dram. |
Tasting Notes – The Glenlivet Nàdurra Olorosso Matured (60.3%)
This release follows the initial launch of the normal strength The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso earlier in 2014. It is matured solely in ex-sherry casks.
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Nose: Gorgeous gold colour. Nose of fruit, hints of cinnamon and toffee caramel. Palate: Pleasantly thick mouthfeel. Smooth, fruity and sweet with a hint of that 60% power. Lovely, creamy toffee caramel with a slight peppery edge to it. Finish: Sweet finish that makes way to a long warming spice hit that goes on and on! Overall: A sweet sherried dram nicely mixing spices and fruit sweetness. A great cask strength addition to The Glenlivet range! |
So, which one is my Favourite?
Difficult one this but out of the three I’m going to go for The Glenlivet Nàdurra Olorosso Matured. Sweet, rich, vanilla fruitiness combined with a high alcohol punch. It’s a hard one to beat!
Many thanks to the team at Richmond Towers (@DrinksPRAgency) for sending the samples and of course, The Glenlivet (@TheGlenlivet), without whom!
The Glenlivet Nàdurra is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-
