The Glenlivet
The whisky that defined the Speyside style: fruity, smooth and approachable. Everything about the types, the taste, how to drink it and the glass that goes with it.
Speyside's first legal distillery
The Glenlivet is a single malt from the Livet Valley in Speyside, Scotland. In 1824, George Smith became the first in the area to receive an official distilling licence, much to the anger of the illegal distillers around him; he carried two pistols for years. The distillery became so well known that other distillers began calling their whisky 'Glenlivet', until Smith secured the right to the name with the article in 1884: The Glenlivet.
The whisky is the quintessential example of the Speyside style: light, fruity and smooth, with apple, pear, vanilla and flowers, without smoke. It is the best-selling single malt in the United States and one of the largest in the world. Alongside the classic 12 Years, the range includes the Founder's Reserve, the 15 Years French Oak, the 18 and the 21 Years. The Glenlivet is part of Pernod Ricard.
In brief
What types of The Glenlivet are there?
From the entry-level Founder's Reserve to the 21 Years: all soft and fruity, with increasing depth and price.
The Glenlivet 12 Years
The classic: twelve years in American and European oak. Apple, pear, vanilla and a soft, rounded finish.
Founder's Reserve
The entry-level expression, partly matured in new American oak. Sweet, light and creamy, with citrus and toffee.
Caribbean Reserve
Finished in barrels that held Caribbean rum. Sweeter and more tropical, with banana and brown sugar.
15 Years French Oak Reserve
Partly matured in French Limousin oak, known for cognac. Richer and spicier, with nuts and spices.
The Glenlivet 18 Years
Eighteen years in first- and second-fill American and European oak. Full, rich and complex, with dried fruit and orange.
The Glenlivet 21 Years
Finished in oloroso sherry, cognac and port casks. Caramelized pear, raisins, nutmeg and cinnamon.
The 12 Years is the whisky the brand is known for; Founder's Reserve is the smooth introduction.
Fruity, smooth and floral, without smoke
Apple & blossom
Fresh apple, pear and flowers, with a hint of honey and vanilla. Light and inviting.
Smooth and fruity
Round and smooth, with ripe fruit, vanilla and a light creaminess from the American oak.
Clean and medium-length
A fresh, lightly sweet finish with a hint of oak. Longer and richer in the 18 and 21.
Tasting profile of The Glenlivet 12 Years. Founder's Reserve is lighter and sweeter, while the 15 and 18 are spicier and deeper.
Three ways to drink The Glenlivet
A smooth Speyside malt needs little: a good glass and optionally a drop of water. Ice works, but mutes the fruit.
Neat, with a drop of water
Pour 30 ml into a tulip-shaped tasting glass. Smell first, then taste and add a few drops of water: the apple and floral notes come through.
Glass: tasting glass →On the rocks
50 ml Glenlivet 12 or Founder's Reserve over one large ice cube in a tumbler. Cold and refreshing, with slightly less aroma. Perfect for a summer evening.
Glass: tumbler →Glenlivet highball
50 ml Founder's Reserve or Caribbean Reserve with 150 ml soda or ginger ale in a highball glass filled with ice, garnished with an apple slice. Light, refreshing and the way Speyside is enjoyed in Japan.
Highball recipe →Cocktails with The Glenlivet
A smooth, fruity single malt works well in cocktails where the whisky remains the star.
Old Fashioned
Whisky, sugar and bitters over one large ice cube. Fruitier and lighter with Glenlivet than with bourbon.
Whisky Sour
Whisky, lemon, sugar and egg white. Glenlivet's apple notes pair perfectly with the lemon.
Whisky Highball
Whisky and soda over plenty of ice. Light and refreshing, ideal with a smooth Speyside malt.
Whisky cocktails
All whisky cocktails in one place, from Manhattan to Penicillin.The right glass for The Glenlivet
A tulip-shaped tasting glass for drinking neat, a heavy tumbler for drinking on the rocks and Old Fashioneds, and a longdrink glass for highballs. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything else you wanted to know about The Glenlivet
Can't find your question here? Check out our cocktail recipes or get in touch.
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