I was going to say that it’s been a long time since I reviewed a Glenlivet but it turns out I reviewed two of them just last year: a 15 yo Binny’s exclusive from Signatory and a 30 yo from Mackillop’s Choice. It has been a while since I reviewed an official Glenlivet, however. The last one was an oloroso edition of the Glenlivet Nadurra. I found very little to like about that one. I hope to set things in balance today with this review of a bourbon cask Nadurra, which was, of course, the original incarnation of the series, well before the distillery decided to fuck up a very good thing. 16 years old, first-fill bourbon cask, pretty good value: that’s what the name Nadurra used to stand for when I got interested in single malt whisky. This one isn’t just from that era, it might be the first of the cask strength bourbon cask Nadurras. It was bottled in 2006, which means it is comprised of whisky distilled in 1990 or earlier. My spreadsheet is for some reason missing information on when I acquired this bottle or from where or at what price. What I can tell you though is that I opened it a few days ago and found it to be right in line with Nadurra as I prefer to remember it. Here now are my  very timely notes on this whisky released 18 years ago.

Glenlivet 16 “Nadurra” (57.2%; Batch 0606A; from my own bottle)

Nose: Toasted oak, vanilla, malt, a bit of yeast. On the second sniff there’s tart-sweet apple. As it sits the apple and yeast move in the direction of cider, and there’s some pear mixed in there too. A few drops of water push the oak back and emphasize the malt and the fruit. Some candied lemon peel too now.

Palate: Toasted oak to start here as well but it’s followed by honey, lemon. A bit hot at full strength; rich, mouth-coating texture. Sweeter on the second sip but this needs water. Yes, more balance now between the oak, the malt and the fruit.

Finish: Long. The alcohol and the oak contend for primacy with the sweeter and more acidic notes coming up from below as it fades. As on the nose and palate with water.

Comments: First-fill oak but not raw. I expect this will mellow further as the bottle stays open and let more of the fruit out. But I like it quite a bit as it is now too—though it does need water (just a bit) to make it show its best self.

Rating: 86 points