I received a press release of the next Glenlivet Cellar Collection. It’s a 1973 vintage. I’ll be getting a review sample and will let you know what I think after I taste it.
Here are some additional details which am taking from the press release:
Hand selected by The Glenlivet’s Master Distiller, Alan Winchester, and comprised of the oldest and rarest stocks in 1973, this exclusive offering is bottled at natural cask strength (49% ABV) without the use of chill-filtration. It is aged in a combination of sherry and refilled American oak casks (a single ex-sherry butt and two refilled American oak hogsheads), resulting in what the press release describes as a “perfectly balanced yet vibrant whisky.”
Valued at $1,250, only 240 bottles of The Glenlivet Cellar 1973 will be available in the United States.
You know, it may be heresy, but I’ve never been all that fond of The Glenlivet. This might be a very nice one, and of course its rarity makes it something of a fun little item regardless, but most of their expressions just seem so… ordinary. Hard to explain, I suppose. They just don’t really ‘wow’ me. Good, solid scotch, but just nothing spectacular or particularly noteworthy.
I tend to agree with you.
Neil, I have been “wowed” by some of the older Glenlivet whiskies (especially the Cellar Collections). And I have come back to “re-discover” the 12 y/o and really enjoy it.
Glenlivet can be very good but the price is very dissuasive…
I must admit that the prices of the Cellar Collection have gone up far more than inflation.
Another over priced Scotch. Nothing against Glenlivet, but I don’t always see the point in these kind of releases. Looks nice in a retailers shelf, but few people are willing to buy it. Regardless, I’m sure it’s great Scotch.
I can understand the standard Glenlivet expressions not doing much for you, but I’ve had some absolutely stellar single-cask bottlings, and I love Nadurra. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have been offered drams of a couple of the Cellar Collection bottlings, and was thoroughly wowed. Yeah, too rich for me, but someone will buy it and think it’s well worth it.
It’s been several years since I gave The Glenlivet a once over. I believe it was their 18 year old. Was good, not great I recall. The new Nadurra’s, with their higher proof, good aging and resonable price are worth a revisit.
Here is a story I just heard a few hours ago.Iit involves an acquaintance of mine who enjoys single malt scotch, but is not off the deep end like us here. He had a bottle of Glenlivet 25 that he paid around $100 for a few years ago that was running down. So he went to a discount store in NJ to pick up a replacement, only to find that the new price was $350. This gave him (figuratively) heart palpatations, and needless to say, didn’t buy a new bottle. Then the guy he was telling to story to told him that at least he should have bought the bottle to share with his, um, close friends. So I guess I won’t mention the 1973 to him.
Slainte.
Louis
$350 is a little high for the 25yr, but $100 seems really low. If he got it for that price he should have picked up a few cases.
I tend to think the same way about most of the core expressions of Glenlivet.Good whisky but very similar between one another.Fragrant,some flowers,some fruits blah blah blah…
BUT the Nadurra was a true surprise for me and a really quality whisky for a great price.I think that all of you who are tired about the plainness of Glenlivet should give it a try.
Well I went out and bought a Nadurra, since it’s been a while since I’ve given The Glenlivet much thought, and everyone told me I should give it a whirl. I’ll open it this weekend and see how it goes.
I’m always game to reexamine a past evaluation.
Big fan of the Nadurra releases, they are tasty and a great value at cask strength. I have really enjoyed the Triumph release as well, not as high abv as normal Nadurra, a bit harder to find, but fantastic. John, I believe that you scored it pretty high as well.
We are fortunate to be in a position to buy some of the Cellar collection offerings, and share them with patrons at tastings. I couldn’t afford them for home consumption, more achievable by the ounce, all of the ones that I’ve had have been well worth the ounce price!
[...] John Hansell has inormation about the Glenlivet Cellar Edition Vintage 1973. [...]
I have been tasted most of them I had to say, they are all fantastic. I am a big fan of Glenlivet and have them all at home. Take for example the Glenlivet 18 yo are my absolut my favourite ordinary dram. I have also tasted the-73 straight from the cask and it was also astonishing. But the Cellar Collection 30 yo finishing in american oak is fantastic, and the Cellar 1964 absolut perfect balanced whisky. But I can say the 1967 is my year but it is to expensive to have it for mine ordinary dram. But to nose and taste good whisky it depends on your mood./ Slainthe