Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection

I headed to my whisky collection on Christmas Day. I selected this Glenlivet, which had been waiting for over a year based on the date a friend wrote on the bottle. For those unfamiliar, Glenlivet's Nadurra range consists of batch strength releases that are naturally colored and non-chill filtered, often with special cask aging. I previously had one that was matured in heavily peated whisky casks. This particular bottling is the First Fill Selection, meaning all casks in the batch were first-fill bourbon casks. It's bottled at 59.8% ABV, is non-chill filtered, and has a pale straw natural color. This is from batch 0115. Initially, the aroma is light and delicate, even after resting in the glass for ten minutes. It begins with subtle yet satisfying oak, followed by lovely notes of vanilla and honey. It becomes quite sweet with crème brûlée, caramelized sugar, ripe bananas, and powdered sugar. Baked apples and pears with a light dusting of cinnamon. If not for a slightly malty presence, I might mistake it for a well-crafted grain whisky. There's a candied lemon citrus note, hazelnut, and the faintest hint of chocolate. Green grapes and more powdered sugar. It certainly didn't smell like a whisky near 60% ABV, though it was clear that high-quality casks were used. The taste is not as intense as the ABV would suggest, but instead offers a nice oak presence followed by honey, vanilla, and coconut. There are some light bourbon notes with toasted oak and barrel char. Honeyed apples, bananas, and a spice that intensifies with each sip, akin to eating successive hot peppers. The first one is manageable, but by the fifth, you're sweating and seeking respite. Perhaps not that extreme, but I'm getting sidetracked. Toffee, very light butterscotch, and cinnamon. An indistinct blend of tropical and citrus fruits, with pineapple being the most prominent flavor. It's sweet, but significantly less so than on the nose. A medium-bodied texture that is creamy, coating, and dry. The finish is long, sweet/sugary, with vanilla, oak, and toffee, and it's dry. The dryness was quite unusual and caught my attention. For about an hour after finishing the sample, a dry spot on the underside of my tongue on the left side was very distracting. I'm not sure if anyone else has experienced this, but it was certainly peculiar. While not exceptionally complex, this single malt was thoroughly enjoyable. This is the first cask/batch strength whisky I've encountered that I would consider a true dessert beverage. It's a shame Glenlivet doesn't produce more cask strength expressions, as the ones I've tried have been quite good, and I believe their spirit performs well at higher proofs. 4.25 Happy Holidays

The Glenlivet Nadurra range, meaning “natural”, encompasses numerous variations on that concept. This specific bottling is stated to include whisky matured in first fill, American White Oak casks. This bottle originated from Batch 0115, indicating it was bottled in January 2015. The Nadurra designation signifies it possesses its natural color and is not chill-filtered. It is bottled at 59.8%. Its appearance is light gold, with an oily texture that doesn't exhibit significant legs, leaving only small beads around the edge of the tasting glass. The aroma is initially somewhat reserved and required about 20-25 minutes of resting. Once it opened up, I detected abundant orchard fruits, vanilla, and cereal grains. An oaky and nutty foundation contends with the strong alcohol notes. The palate offers a pleasant introduction of tropical fruit and citrus. Candied cinnamon hints at a refreshing sweetness while being slightly sugary. Light oak prevents the mouthfeel from becoming overly oily. It is also less intense than I expected for a 60% ABV spirit. The finish is of moderate duration and surprisingly fruity. The sweetness holds its ground well against the persistent warmth from the high proof. It actually leaves a mouthwatering sensation that tempts another sip – and that's a risky prospect considering this is a very high ABV cask strength offering. Overall, I was very impressed. I have tried many of Glenlivet's standard offerings and I must say that I could likely bypass them all and exclusively enjoy the Nadurra line. The whisky truly excels here. The Oloroso Nadurra and Peated Cask Nadurra were also excellent drams. This is no exception. I believe these bottles are available for $75-85, which is a fair price for the quality, even without an age statement. Purchase with confidence. Rated 4.5 stars. Enjoy, my friends.

I was taken aback by some of the average assessments of batch 0115. I recently sampled my bottle of batch 1115 (November 2015 instead of January) at 59.6% ABV and it is far from average. I had been eager to sample a first fill or cask strength for a while and this met both criteria simultaneously, so I had to try it. After the initial taste, I knew I would be cherishing this bottle. I was very surprised by how pale in color this is, likely the palest in my collection now, and how the ABV was masked on the aroma. The aroma was predominantly sweet and citrusy with subtle vanilla. The palate was pleasantly oily and that's where the fruits truly presented themselves. I first sampled this without adding any water and did not find it overwhelming at all, just a pleasant warming sensation. I then added some water and it did enhance the flavors a bit more. The final taste I had was probably the best. It had been sitting out for about 20 minutes or so and next time I will let it rest longer. That is when I detected a hint of banana and other more tropical flavors that were missing in the first few sips. The finish was longer than I had anticipated based on other reviews, but not the absolute longest either. In summary, I am thrilled that I acquired this bottle and it ranks very high among my favorites. To me, it bore a strong resemblance to Glenmorangie Nectar D’or and if you appreciate this one or that one, I strongly suggest you try the other!

Sampled this spirit at a restaurant recently (a $23 serving, thankfully my frugal nature had secured a 70% discount voucher). Having it made me recall the era when a 16-year version was available--that would have been something to experience. This bottle was underwhelming, and my suspicion is that it contains a significant amount of scotch that has not yet reached double digits in age. Both the palate and nose seemed quite muted to me, revealing few distinct flavors apart from a bright, powdered sugar note. After several sips, I finally encountered the distillery's characteristic apple flavor, which felt like finally reaching the Glenlivet house—though the journey there was unremarkable. There is considerable burn—not exactly a pleasant warming sensation, more of a burn—on the finish, though it does transition to some spice notes somewhat reminiscent of Balvenie Caribbean Cask (but more aggressive here). The peculiar aspect of the finish is that it felt akin to the finish of a younger bourbon, lacking some of bourbon's enjoyable caramel and oak richness. This one is worth trying, and it is by no means a bad scotch, but it did not align with my preferences.

The initial contact has a sharp alcohol bite, but the distillery's signature character emerges. Adding water softens the intense flavors, and after a while, vanilla and baking spices become apparent. The finish is lengthy and spiced. Glenlivet enthusiasts will likely appreciate this. Those new to the brand might find it harsh, fiery, and rough.

Batch FF0117 at 59.1% Aroma: Buttery with hints of almond and sultana, pear, and iodine. Taste: Creamy and smooth, with abundant wood and white chocolate. Finish: Salty with a sharp burn. A few drops of water ease the tingling burn on the finish but do not eliminate the salty, medicinal end. A beautiful whisky, apart from the finish.