Glenlivet 1998, 15yo– Signatory for Whiskybrother – Review

Whiskybrother is a shop located in Johannesburg, SA, and owed by Marc Pendelbury who’s a fellow whisky blogger and friend. I had the pleasure of meeting Marc a few years back when he was visiting Israel, after knowing him online for some time, and he’s a real great guy and a gentleman. Marc has pursued his love of whisky and set up his shop a couple of years back, and now he’s doing other stuff too in the UK , but I salute him for making his dream come true and opening that shop, a true model for myself.

Anyway, I was really thrilled when Marc asked if I wanted to taste the new single cask bottling he hand picked at the Glenlivet distillery to be sold exclusively at his shop in SA. I’ve seen him tweet about that bottling a few weeks before and it sounded delicious. The Israeli postal services was slow as usual, but eventfully the sample arrived safe and sound, and I set to taste it. I do not sample sherried Glenlivet that often, and after tasting this one, I quite regret I don’t.

Glenlivet 1998, 15yo– Signatory for Whiskybrother , 54.8% abv, Oloroso cask

Nose: That’s a nice sherry cask alright. Xmas cake. Dried fruit and some spice on top as well as yummy oak and cinnamon. Macerated cherries in sweet nectar. Pepper. Well rounded sherry greatness.

palate: thick and nicely presented : dried fruit; sultans and prune as well as red berries and some oak. A certain earthiness as well in addition to crushed coffee beans and burnt sugar. Getting bitter sweet with 80% cocoa chocolate and some orange peel.

Finish: pepper. Chilly infused bitter dark chocolate. Cinnamon.

Bottom line:

Friend or not friend, this is a great whisky. very yummy, good sherry maturation, and everything I look for in a mid aged sherry. Not monstrous, but not too young. Just right. It’s one of the yummiest Glenlivets I’ve ever had. And yes, I want a bottle. Good work Marc, you’ve chosen well.  if you’re living in South Africa, please do yourself a favour, and get a bottle. It’s that good.

Score: 89/100

Official sample provided by Marc of the Whiskybrother shop, thanks mate!