To be honest, I wasn't sure if it would continue to watch the vault channel after you and rex decided to split the vault from whiskey tribe ( I understood why). I started out watching the vault when I was getting into whiskey and it really taught me a lot. However, I just want to say how much I am enjoying this new format of mostly storytelling and then the tasting. You speak masterfully.
Outstanding as always Daniel. Thank you for the detailed history of the Highlands & Glenlivet. You made me break out my many years old Archive 21 year old to see how it's holding up. Thank you and keep up the great work.
Please reconfirm the age statement. You indicated the age statement refers to the youngest age of the cask; not the age of the whiskey ? Also so ironic in Japan, like everywhere else in the world Japanese whiskey is off the charts in price but Scotch is reasonable. I bought 2 bottles of GL 18 at 11,000 yen each (around $75 USD)😀
Daniel such a wonderful story - so interesting and amazing to listen to! This is a beautiful Glenlivet! Pricey in Vancouver - about $190-200. Cheers! 🙂
I'm really enjoying your back stories of the Scotch industry and your tasting notes. You are a very engaging speaker. Thank you for putting out such great content.
Daniel, can you please continue the story telling the story of the women who ran the stills and production. Would be great to hear about. Not something I've heard much before. I know there are lots of modern women who are the top tasters, and blenders but id like to hear their impact throughout history.
I will forever regret not buying a bottle of the old 43% version of this for $90 when I had a chance at Costco. Not two years later, the new watered down 40% bottle came out and has consistently been $150+. I love The Glenlivet, but I resent getting scammed.
The Glenlivet After the 1823 Excise Act, George Smith became the first distiller in the Highlands to obtain a license for distillation and, in 1824, he established The Glenlivet on what was once a farm distillery called Upper Drummin. Many of the neighbouring distilleries were illegally run and involved in smuggling. They became indignant, for George Smith was running Glenlivet by legal means. Such was the tempest of their fury, George had to carry a pair of pistols for protection. Originally 'Gow', the family name became the more Anglo-sounding 'Smith' following Bonnie Prince Charlie’s 1746 defeat at the battle of Culloden. The Gows changed their name to escape the resultant subjugation which ensued. The Glenlivet has always been a name associated with quality, to such a degree that other distilleries would use the name, no matter how distant they were from the Livet glen. FYI: I have been to the distillery and can safely tell you that based on an oil painting there of John Gow, bears a striking resemblance to the males in my family.
Thanks again for the tales Daniel. I've always been curious about this question, perhaps you can answer it as there is conflicting responses elsewhere; As a Sommelier, do you differentiate your *Olfaction* method depending on what it is you are *smelling* eg: for wine do you inhale with the mouth open as opposed to whiskey with the mouth closed? I've noticed that the majority of times you do it mouth closed. Is there a method? If so is it mouth open or mouth closed? Is it one for one type and one for another? Questions like this keep me up at night 😂. Cheers in advance 🤙
That's really interesting and cool. Its funny how history repeats itself, but with different twist. It's also great to know they invented hillbillies, lol.
I still have the older label higher % version... can't bring myself to open it now ..guess i havnt bought any more thinking maybe its not the same....am i right? Or do you think this newer version is just as good🤷?
I really wish/hope Glenlivet continues up the age tree with their Illicit still releases, an 18 yr no chill filtration, 46% abv would be fantastic. Similar to what I would hope of Glenfarclas. Their signatory and other private barrel releases are so much better than the watered down 43% abv main releases. And definitely the prices have gone way up, about a year ago you could find Glenlivet 18 at Costco for 99.99.
Glenlivet 12 was my first "official" introduction to scotch after an ill encounter or two with Cutty Sark and Johnny Walker Red in my youth. After that initial neat pour, I fell down the rabbit hole that led me to The Whiskey Tribe and The Whiskey Vault. Proud to have been a Knight for the last 4 years now, and still thrilled that I got to visit The Wizard Academy and the actual vault last October. Cheers!
Fascinating story. I'm a Glenlivet fan and always have a bottle of 12year or even Founders Reserve in the cabinet. 18 is a little spendy at 2.5x the 12 but I might have to treat myself.
Welcome all Whiskey Vaulters to Story Time with Daniel! Scotch: Whisky of Scotland in Fact and Story By Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart Just to point out, if you want it in hardcover, it is available on the used market (including a seller in Houston, TX on Biblio)
The highlands are no joke - very well put. When we were in Scotland a few years back, we had planned to travel out to the West coast and the Isle of Skye…in December. Well, in short, weather happened, as it tends to do in the British Isles and the road conditions were very dangerous. Since we’re from a part of the world that never gets snow, we decided that driving through a snow storm on windy mountain roads was not a great idea. I’m sad we didn’t make it across there though it did mean rerouting through Speyside which turned out well for me as the family’s whisky nerd. But yes, the highlands are brutal
I love Glenlivet! Its rare I can afford a bottle of the 18 or even the 12 but the Founders Edition is often on offer on Amazon and I alway grab a couple of bottles!!
What a shame to take a lovely 18 year old whisky, dilute it to 80 proof, then strip out the flavor by chill filtering it so it doesn’t get cloudy. And then charging almost $150 for it. Do you teach that in your whisky school?
