Glenlivet Code

First off, I detest dark bottles. Absolutely despise them. I also dislike being misled. For that reason, this whiskey doesn't sit well with me. FAIR WARNING: If you don't want to read a grown man complaining like a politician arguing about a wall, just skip this write-up. Still here? Great, let's move on. This year's puzzle bottle from Glenlivet costs a hundred and twenty dollars. Glenlivet put out Alpha and Cipher in 2016 and 2017 with the same idea: don't tell anyone the age, cask maturation, or finishing details. Nothing. Make them pay to try it and guess. They even said they'd reveal the contents by the end of 2018. Surprise - they've never said a word. I suspect they hoped we'd forget to ask. Honestly, I don't care what's inside. But, here's what I experienced: Glenlivet likely combined some mediocre Nadurra First Fill cask whiskey, some mediocre Nadurra Oloroso cask whiskey, and perhaps some Founder's Reserve. They blended them in equal measures, then added water to bring it down to 48% ABV. Next, they put it in a ridiculously dark bottle so you couldn't see it on the shelf, stuck a $120+ price tag on it, and shipped it. Then they asked if you could figure out the Code. (Taking several deep breaths) In the glass, it's a sunset gold with thick, indistinct legs, appearing more thin than oily. Large drops form. The aroma features fresh oak, vanilla, and sherry notes with cinnamon and subtle citrus zest. There's a hint of oak present too, which I think is connected to the peppery undertone that rounds it out. The taste is zesty with young, vibrant spirit. The sherry flavor emerges around the middle of the sip, blending with apples and pears before being overwhelmed by sharp alcohol and spice. It lacks depth; it's just an unpleasant mix. The finish is warm and spicy but brief, with a lingering sherry sweetness that fights against the dry oak tannins and alcohol burn. (More deep breaths) So, essentially, I'm going to guess this is a massive scam by Glenlivet. It's diluted stuff that needed more aging to become something worthy of the Nadurra line. There are glimmers of excellence, but it feels like the components didn't come together well. They sampled single casks for Nadurra, and these rejected casks were blended into this deception. That's what they should have named it... Glenlivet DECEPTION. Purchase a bottle from the Nadurra line for $75-80 and use the remaining $40 for a Compass Box blend, and you'll get two excellent bottles instead of one poor one. Two stars, with half a star taken off for the poor value and the dumb, dark bottle. (Putting on a happy face...) Cheers, everyone.

Wonderful narrative, beautiful bottle, delicious Whisky. The Glenlivet Code is a tribute to Alan Turing, who broke the Nazi code in World War II; there's a great movie about it. It's more than just a whisky; it's a game. You're meant to guess the tasting notes, then use an app to input the aroma and tasting notes, and they give you your score. It's actually super fun, especially with friends, and it's also very challenging, leading you to drink more than one dram. (And the bottle is heavy and black, so you don't actually know how much you've consumed). Bottled at 48% ABV, tawny color. Ok, let's proceed. FOR ME, this was all about cinnamon, red apples, and vanilla cookies on the nose. Actually, a pretty powerful aroma for a Glenlivet. On the palate, it was very fruity, with oranges, plums, cherries, and a super potent spiciness, full of ginger. When my friends and I entered all this (it was more or less a consensus), we got 17% the first time, 30% the second, and 38% the third time. ALL THE NOTES ARE POSSIBILITIES IN THE APP, SO WE WERE RIGHT ABOUT THE AROMA AND TASTING NOTES, BUT there's a very difficult part of the game, which is the INTENSITY of the notes. You can select mild, medium, or intense, and that's where we struggled (or so we believe). The game is great, the experience is fantastic, the whisky is excellent. I truly recommend it; for me, it was a solid 87 out of 100, but the entire experience deserved a 100. Cheers!

A dark bottle for marketing some bullshit mystery spirit is fine by me, but it needs to deliver. Without that, it's just marketing bullshit. I even commend the effort put into creating an app for scanning the bottle's code, virtually transporting you to a hidden room to meet the master distiller and decipher flavors, hence the name 'Code.' Imagine if that app development energy went into crafting a superior whiskey instead. If I want a virtual reality experience, I'll go to Microsoft or Sony; I don't expect excellent whiskey from Microsoft. I was anticipating this release (kindly provided by a friend), likely because I had high hopes given the approximate $120 price. It definitely has a sherry foundation, with notes of red bell pepper and a slightly oily texture. It suggests a possible wine finish. It's not red wine, as I'm not detecting tannins, but perhaps a white wine finish, bringing out floral notes. Possibly Moscatel. I'm guessing this is around 10-12 years old, with some sherry aging and a Moscatel finish. Damn, did I just fall into their 'Code' game without realizing it? It's not poorly crafted, just too expensive. I'm sure the app developers were pricey. At $120, it's about $40 too much.

Definitely not enjoyable, and not much else to add. The mouthfeel is strongly dry with heavy hints of stone fruit pits and new-oak-like vanilla, but these don't stand out - they just linger in the background while your palate is flooded with tons of tannins and harsh alcohol. The disappointing aspect is that Glenlivet (particularly when they ask over $110 per bottle) is capable of producing truly remarkable spirits, and while this was an amusing effort at a unique NAS, I can't help but think the distillery created this to offload a surplus of mediocre barrels unsuitable for their main range. I truly wish, though, that this isn't true.

Oak, caramel, and a light peat. Slightly oily on the palate with hints of allspice. Buttery and rich. Lavish and made you eagerly anticipate the next sip. Wonderful overall. I absolutely adored this Scotch. Among the finest I've sampled recently, and I thoroughly appreciate that it isn't prohibitively expensive. I intend to purchase a bottle for myself as soon as I can locate it.

Tasted without prior knowledge. Nose: Rich, mild, with some cherry undertones. Taste: Flavors of sherry wood, slightly spicy, perhaps on the younger side. A hint of banana might be present. Not overly complex, could be smoother. Wood influence: Sherry, possibly a touch of bourbon, but sherry is dominant. Could it be a single barrel? Distillery origin? * Highlands * American distillery