Braes of Glenlivet 1979 Signatory Tasting Notes and Ratings.

Braes of Glenlivet 1979 Signatory

Added on Monday, Sep 21, 2009 at 09:19 PM

Bottler:

Signatory

Age:	19 yrs	Type:	Scotch
Vintage:	1979	Subtype:	Single Malt
ABV:	58.10 %	Region:	Highland
Price:	$120	Availability:	Collectors Only

Distilled 29.11.79 Bottled 23.4.99 Butt no. 9294 658 Bottles

Member Ratings and Notes

Chris

Note: I tried this single malt on two occasions. The first time I found it to be flawed (and rated it a C) while Adam gave it an A-. Since we are rarely so divergent, we decided to hold off posting notes and put this bottle into a meeting. Served blind to 12 members, it got an average rating of A-. And on this second night I gave it a B+. I can only assume that something was effecting my palate that first night, even though we used a calibrator whiskey (Glenfiddich 12) to test for such things and it seemed fine. This is probably all a moot point, since I found this dusty bottle at a random liquor store in rural Illinois, and it's otherwise long gone from the shelves.

N: Spirity and slightly musty, dried leaves, tobacco, apricot, and tea. Prickles the nose.
P: Palate is huge, with lots of tobacco and fruity iced tea.
F: Some mentholyptus cough drops action, sweet and numbing. (In the first tasting my notes ended with ...and really f***ing dry and bitter, but I didn't get that the second time.)

By the way gents, this bottle was put into the meeting free of charge to resolve the disagreement between Adam and I, and now that I like it, I'm taking it back!!

Dave

Sweet sherry fruits and cherries with prunes and a light cerealy/grassy note in the background that actually adds to this (usually puts me off a bit but works here). The cereals and sherry on the palate are extremely well balanced and neither dominates. Finish is shorter than I hoped with some numbing antiseptic tingle. Very good bottle. Will have more.

Nice sherry nose with a delicious candy-bar taste and a warm, lingering finish. I'm slightly bummed that Mole's de-gifting this one, but not devastated.

Adam

Nose is fruity with light sherry, but also a solvent and chemical note. After opening up a bit, oaky spices emerge. The palate is rather sweet and full of puckery fruits. Nutty stuff too, some vanilla. And an aspect that I can best describe as "woody spice cabinet." Finish is long, with pepper and cinnamon entering. After a short time that solvent/chemical thing goes away, and more wood spice replaces it... yum!! This is a continually pleasing and surprising whisky, with various aspects appearing and disappearing on different sips, the way I like it. The wood is big, yet I don't mind. Doesn't taste like 58%. Overall, this is kinda weird but kinda good.... quite sweet, spicy, and elusive... It's an odd one, but one for me. One to sip when relaxed and contemplative.

N: Pleasant, sherry nose.
T: Hot, sherry and some oak/wood.
F: Very pleasant, mid-length finish, heavy sherry and wood notes.
O: A good example of a sherry monster. Very good. Reminds me of a hot, smooth Mac 18.

Mike

Nose is spicy with sherry and caramel apples. The palate is hot, now with Milky Way caramel, nuget, mulled spices. Finish is long and lingers. Mmmmmm. Spiced liquid candy bar.

Andy

Harsh- old leather and chemicals

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