Glenlivet is probably best known for its 12 year old Scotch whisky. It is the world's most popular single malt, and this liquid forms the basis of many people's introduction to whiskey. This casts a long shadow over the brand's other releases. Additionally, the Pernod Ricard-owned distillery apparently has a reputation for volume, not for producing serious, high-priced liquid. But there's no more – or at least that's the intention – as the brand has launched its oldest and most ambitious expression to date, The Glenlivet Eternal Collection, First Edition, 55 Year Old.
Finished in a seasoned sherry cask and matured for over fifty years, this single malt is truly something special, and it better be worth $55,000 per bottle. It is arguably The Glenlivet's finest expression and deserves a place on the mantle alongside the best bottles of The Macallan or Lagavulin.
The nose contains notes of whiskey, citrus, dates, hazelnuts, dark chocolate and cinnamon, as well as warm autumn fruits. On the palate, there are notes of vanilla and ginger, as well as a hint of blackcurrant jam, toffee and more orange. The long finish finds fruits and spices intertwining, resulting in a complex drama that lingers.
The 55-year-old single malt is the first addition to The Glenlivet's Eternal Collection, a collection of new collectible, rare whiskeys that will be released each year. Each future release will be drawn from a single barrel aged for an additional year.
“Through decades of collaboration, past and present, between our team of cask experts, the introduction of The Eternal Collection represents a monumental moment for whiskey connoisseurs and luxury enthusiasts to add an essential piece of Scotch whiskey heritage to their collections,” says Kevin Balmforth. , Glenlivet cooper. “This epitomizes The Glenlivet's commitment to excellence in Scotch innovation as we continue to reach creative new heights in single malts.”
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Each release in The Eternal Collection comes with unique visuals. In the case of the First Edition, computational architect Michael Hansmeyer created a striking sculpture to house whiskey. The structure is inspired by the house of Glenlivet and reflects the flow of the River Livet, from which the brand takes its name. The hand-crafted jesmonite and rose gold-plated statue features the 55-year-old man's spherical jug.
“My work reflects the intersection of architecture and art,” says Hansmeyer. “It was exciting to weave the threads of smart technologies to create something that escapes conformity and classification to celebrate such an old whisky. I created this sculpture to capture the spirit of where innovation meets tradition, as a tribute to the complexity of Glenlivet's oldest expression and the rugged beauty of the distillery's Scottish landscape.
Glenlivet had other interesting releases this year too. First, it released a whiskey matured in barrels crafted from a combination of first-fill rum and bourbon barrels: Rum and Bourbon Fusion Cask Selection. He then aged another in ex-sherry casks combined with freshly charred European oak barrels, called Caskmakers. They've even launched The Twelve Elements, featuring some of the brand's oldest whiskeys ever. But the Glenlivet Eternal Collection takes things to another level.
Glenlivet Eternal Collection, First Edition: 55-Year-Old will be available at select spirits retailers for a suggested retail price of $55,000.
Related: We Tasted Hundreds of Scotch Whiskeys. These 16 Bottles Are the Best of 2024