Glenlivet Celtic Heartlands (en)

The Glenlivet Murray McDavid in the prestigious Celtic Heartlands collection ended up in third place (tie with the Daily Dram Ardmore) in this session. For a bottle of that price (228 euros) and age (33 years) it is quite surprising. Maybe the finish Chateau Yquem has affected the quality of this venerable malt.
Reviews of this bottle are much divided as the gap between the highest rating (90) and lowest (72) is 18 points. The average of ratings was 84.58 points.
The two extreme notes:

Alexandre

The first nose has very discrete marine and medicinal notes, with a pastry veil, tender and very sweet. Soon afterwards revealing a very nice complexity, starting with sweet asserted and very sweet notes (marzipan, sugar cane), in a very 'rummy' mood, then go towards marine and saline notes where we can even detect a hint of smoke, before ending on a fresh taste and medicinal eucalyptus. Very nice trip to the country of flavours, with a alcohol rate well integrated. A little difficult to open though, but nevertheless very promising. The palate confirms the complexity and the beautiful building of the nose. We are dealing with a great whisky. Without being exuberant, the mouth is dominated by peat, marine influences and a little tar, after an attack on very sweet or watery fruit salad and honey, still allowing the comparison with the rum. Reveals a hint of spice and heady flowers. A mouth very rich in flavours, but with a difficulty to be precise. Aeration will allow sweet notes to take precedence over the sea flavors. The final, long, is dominated by peat and sea salt, with just a touch of wood and fruits (strawberries and almonds). A wonderful memory of warmth mixed with salt will remain for long minutes. In conclusion, a good whisky. Aeration once the bottle opened should clarify a bit the mouth .

Amor57

When serving, you are assailed by rubber. Not burning rubber as can be found in peat, no, simply recently vulcanized rubber and which therefore leaves transpire sulfur hints , quickly making room for vanilla pastry cream. With a little aeration another palette unfolds with polish, some herbs, a little chalk and cardboard, remote white fruit (peach, apple). It is really watery , and very light. In the mouth it is evasive and then comes the spices, a woody bitterness, clear alcohol, distant traces of eucalyptus and almond . The final, short in length and intensity, continues on this unpleasant bitterness , and astringency is complemented by a strong, equally unpleasant but luckily marked by clear mint , and anise touches.

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