Unhurried PLEASURES

Whisky is popularly christened “water of life” but here’s why single malts such as The Glenlivet, Aberlour and Scapa offer the best arguments justifying the moniker.

The Glenlivet

You know you are doing something right when visiting kings want a sip of the notoriously famous single malt, when you can count Charles Dickens among your fans, when the competition first threatens you but then also starts adding your brand name to theirs just to improve their chances of sales. The crowning achievement came in 1884, when The Glenlivet (the original) was officially allowed to prefix ‘The’ to their name, a mark of differentiation and, by extension, of superior quality, a simple three-letter addition that would set them apart from the crowd, forever. The ‘Unhurried’ malt, as the founder would have affably called it, was always made painstakingly in the quiet and quaint Livet valley. George Smith was the first holder of a legal licence to distill in the region and to date, The Glenlivet remains a defining Speyside whisky for style and flavour. The Glenlivet comprise a 12 year old, a 15 year old, and an 18 year old. Each expression shows exemplary smoothness, with notes ranging from candied fruits to spices, earthy to smokey and nutty. While the 12 year old shows sophistication and smoothness, the 15 year old holds forth with lovely richness and length, while the 18 year old and the 21 year old are uniquely built to commemorate special occasions. And then there is the 25 year old which, with its intense rich honeyed notes and a silky soft finish, can only be likened to immortality-imbuing elixir which medieval alchemists were constantly striving for. The final conundrum of which The Glenlivet to choose comes in the form of The Founder’s Reserve, a crisp fruit-laden dram with a touch of spice and cream, making it the perfect everyday dram.