Glenlivet Cipher 48% NV

Professional reviews

Serge Valentin (79)

According to a charming brand ambassador of some sort, I’m supposed to taste this baby while browsing some special web pages. Why not, but I haven’t got any Internet connection while writing this, so maybe I’ll do that later. As for the story and the packaging, I’d love to know where they’ve found those new pills… (Apologies, you know we love you). Colour: pale gold. Nose: classic, pretty natural, slightly flowery, with good vanilla and notes of hoppy beer. Then the usual overripe apples, pears, and gooseberries. And cakes. Perhaps two rose petals. It’s Glenlivet. Mouth: you feel some oak, so some pretty active wood may have been in use, like in many modern NAS. Vanilla, sawdust, and a growing bitterness from the oak. Not quite bourbonised, but you get the idea. Finish: maltier, but with even more oak spices, between ginger and cinnamon. Comments: I don’t feel very inspired, I’ll really need to check those special web pages. What’s sure is that this is a little too oak-forward for me – but hey, that’s only me. Other than that, it’s a very fine dram. Oh and the fruit flies love it.

Words of Whisky (81)

Nose: natural, modern style with vanilla, malty notes, honey and cooked fruits. Apples and pears, perhaps some light pineapple from the obvious first-fill American oak. Light ginger and a waxy touch. Mouth: same feeling of fresh oak, with a lower amount of fruits this time. A bit of butter toffee, peaches and honey. Apples and unripe pineapple. Light ginger and cinnamon, as well as some bitter woody notes towards the end. Finish: not too long, plenty of spices (pepper, cinnamon) and something of sweet banana that breaks the otherwise dry finale.
Glenlivet Cipher is an okay dram that shows some similarities to the Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve and adds a bit of Nadurra influence and a bit of sherry perhaps. Not bad. Not entirely necessary either

BOW (84)