Gordon & MacPhail Private Collection: Glenlivet Decades 1974

A quintet of releases showing examples of The Glenlivet from five decades, issued to support The Glenlivet Generations 70 year old bottling. All are available individually or in a limited edition set (50 only) for £2,850; these bottlings are not currently available in the U.S. The nose immediately betrays the fact that this has been matured in a first-fill sherry hogshead. It’s akin to an artisan’s workshop, all leather oil and strange resins. There’s an intriguing hint of curry spices and truffle, but all in all this is about density, black fruits (damson), allspice, and clove. The cask is in charge. The palate has more tannin than you perhaps want — powerful and grippy with lots of nut and tea-like tannins; too grippy for me. £500