Glenlivet 18 Year

The Glenlivet 18 Year is a Speyside single malt Scotch bottled at 43% ABV. The Speyside region is known for malts that lean toward orchard fruit, honey and gentle spice more than peat smoke, and an 18-year bottling from here typically shows that character with more depth than the younger expressions. Expect baked apple or pear, dried fruit, vanilla and toasted oak. Whisky matured in a mix of American oak and sherry casks often adds a nutty, raisin-like richness, and the finish tends to be long and soft. Smoke should be minimal to absent, and the sweetness is more honeyed than sugary. At this proof the whisky is easy to drink neat. Pour about 40 to 50 ml at room temperature and give it a few minutes in the glass before the first sip, since older Speyside malts open up as they sit. A few drops of room-temperature water can loosen the fruit and vanilla and soften any oak tannin, so add them one at a time and taste between additions. Ice isn't a good fit. Chilling dulls the aromatics that an 18-year malt is bought for, and a large single cube is the most you'd want if you prefer it cold. A Glencairn glass is the better choice for nosing. Its tulip shape gathers the dried fruit and oak aromas and directs them toward your nose. If you'd rather sip it casually, a heavy rocks glass works well with a small splash of water and no ice. Cocktails are a secondary use for a bottle at this level, but a few work well. A Rob Roy, the Scotch version of a Manhattan, made with sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters, suits the sherry-influenced fruit. An Old Fashioned built with a barspoon of demerara syrup and orange peel keeps the whisky in front, and a very light hand with sugar suits a malt that is already gently sweet. A Whiskey Sour or a tall highball would hide most of what distinguishes this bottle, so a younger, less expensive malt is the more sensible choice for those. For food, dark chocolate, roasted almonds, aged cheddar and baked fruit desserts echo the oak and dried-fruit notes without overpowering them.