Whisky I've Drank: The Glenlivet Founder´s Reserve

By Whiskyforeveryone
The Founder's Reserve is a new expression in the core range of The Glenlivet single malts. The new whisky has been crafted by Alan Winchester, the Master Distiller at The Glenlivet, and is designed to pay homage to the style of whisky created by the distillery's founder George Smith. It has been matured predominantly in first-fill American oak ex-bourbon casks. The introduction of the no age statement Founder's Reserve has been prompted by the increasing success of The Glenlivet.
The Glenlivet distillery is located in the Speyside region, close to the town of Ballindalloch in the scenic Livet Glen from which it takes its name. As mentioned the distillery was founded in 1824 by George Smith, whose signature still appears on the labels and packaging. It was the first distillery in the Speyside region to be granted a distilling license under the Parliamentary Excise Act, which was brought in one year earlier. Glenlivet is now one of Scotland's largest distilleries with an annual production of 10 million litres and is currently owned by Pernod Ricard, who took control in 2001.
The influence of Pernod Ricard has seen The Glenlivet become the second best selling single malt in the world with over six million bottles sold each year. It is the most popular single malt in the USA, where it has been number one since the 1970s, and this market accounts for nearly 50% of all sales of The Glenlivet. Pernod believe that this new expression will aid the brand in its push to overtake Glenfiddich as the world's number one single malt and introduce more new consumers to it.
The Founder's Reserve is available now in the UK, with other global markets following shortly. It will controversially replace the popular 12 years old expression in some of these markets and is bottled at 40% ABV. The recommended retail price is £36.
Our tasting notes:
-The colour is pale golden yellow and the nose is instantly fresh, vibrant and fruity. The initial aromas are of green apple and pear, which are joined by honeycomb and lots of vanilla. In the background are further aromas of coconut, fresh sawdust, candied/burnt orange and a hint of almonds.
-To begin with the palate is equally as vibrant and fresh as the nose suggests - there is plenty of tangy green apple and boiled pear drop sweets. This vibrancy gives the whisky a light feeling. Other characteristics soon join in and add sweetness (think of vanilla, crumbly brown sugar and honey in particular). With time a woody spiciness develops, which is reminiscent of a combination of the sawdust aroma from the nose and baking spices (especially cinnamon and nutmeg). This gives an increasing sense of dryness in the mouth. Late notes of candied orange and white chocolate appear, along with hints of white pepper and dried ginger.
-The finish is relatively short and mirrors the palate. It begins fruity and sweet with plenty of apple, honey and vanilla before becoming increasingly dry, woody and spicy. Notes of dried coconut and cinnamon accentuate this.
What's the verdict?
The Founder's Reserve is a brave step by Pernod Ricard - one that will allow them to introduce The Glenlivet to more new consumers across the globe, but also one that could potentially alienate some existing fans. The news has caused a similar stir online to that of The Macallan when the ditched age statements for the colour based 1824 Series two and a half years ago.
Naturally the Founder's Reserve will be compared to the popular 12 years old, but it should not be as it is designed for a different purpose and as the new entry level for the core range. The new consumers will discover a fresh, sweet and drying easy drinking whisky. Connoisseurs or those determined to compare it to the 12 years old maybe underwhelmed by the lighter, more vibrant approach that has been presented.

Whisky I've Drank: Kavalan Single Malt Whisky Solist Vinho Barrique

By Whisky Gospel
World whisky captured the best whisky title in both Jim Murray latest whisky bible and the Malt Maniacs Awards. Mr. Murray selected a Japanese whisky, the Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 (which prompted my review of the 2009 version) And the Malt Manicas selected a Taiwanese whisky, the Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask.
I was very surprised from Mr. Murray selection and I already discussed this in the Yamazaki Sherry Cask review, but wasn’t too surprise to hear about the Kavalan selection in the MMA. Last year, in Whisky Live Tel-Aviv 2014 I had the honor to participate in a masterclass led by Jim Swan, their master blender and taste many Kavalan whiskies and I was very impressed with the Solists that were featured in the show.
Unfortunately, I lost the notes I wrote back then but I had a 2nd opportunity to taste the Solist Vinho Barrique (which is actually a PX cask) in the Nov 2014 meeting of the MMI whisky club.
Yeah, it’s a different cask but it’s more then adequate for getting the drift of this whisky character.
Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique (57.7%, £93.76/€93)
Nose:

Punchy blow on first sniff with a big blow of sweetness. It’s not overdoing it as there’s a sour edge that keeps it in check. berries mix and spices with lots of nutmeg and cinnamon.
Palate: 

Spicy, sweet cherries, chocolate and espresso. Once again a mix of sweet and sour berries
Finish:

Long, lingering chocolate and espresso. Sour-sweet berries mix.
Thoughts: 

Real darn good bottling from Kavalan. It’s flavourful with flavours meshing well together, balanced and with extra oomph. Very well defined whisky (you could say it’s well chiseled as Serge says) Like I said, the Entire Solist series is excellent and is on a different level from the other Kavalan expressions (with Fino and Bourbon casks on the top for me), so yeah, we all should pay attention to world whisky, and no, Scotch isn’t on the down trend. You just need to pick up the good distilleries and the good whisky the produce, ignoring its origin.

Whisky I've Drank: Kavalan Single Malt Whisky Solist Sherry Cask

By Jake Emen
Perhaps now stuck in the shadow of its sibling, the Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon Cask, Kavalan Solist Sherry has nonetheless attracted its own attention as well. But can it live up to the rather high standards which the ex-Bourbon has set after being named the Whisky Advocate 2014 World Whisky of the Year? We’ll take a closer look and settle the score here.
The Whisky
Kavalan Solist Sherry is a single malt, single cask-strength whisky, here bottled at 57% ABV but more generally available from 55 to 60%. It has been matured in Oloroso sherry casks, it’s hand bottled, and it’s non-chill filtered.
The first thing you’ll notice of course is the deep ruby brown color of the Solist Sherry in the glass. On the nose, you’ll find at first a surprising citrusy and floral bouquet, which gives small hints and then deeper bursts of a heartier character, with a nuttiness, and scents of grape and assorted non-citrus fruits, such as plum. There are also fainter hints of chocolate and butterscotch, and really, there’s a lot going on in the nose, a very complex and rich profile.
On the palate, you’ll find an almost cedar-like wood taste with spicy overtones which will leave your cheeks tingling. The finish offers more spice, dark, dried fruits and a distinctly grape and Sherry flavor.
Add ice, and you’ll still get that wood profile, but less aggressively. It also becomes less spicy, but in turn kicks up the Sherry even more.
Interestingly, the Solist Sherry has much less bite than the Solist ex-Bourbon, yet here I actually believed the cask came on a bit too strongly, perhaps overpowering the whisky itself at times. While I don’t mean to endlessly compare the two, in full disclosure I sampled them on consecutive nights. Ultimately, it’s impressively rich and has tons of character, and could be a favorite if you’re a Sherry-head.
The Price
Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask can be found online at prices between $150 and $200, and currently, a seemingly scarce supply.
Awards & Notes
Keep in mind, while I noted that the Kavalan Solist ex-Bourbon is in the limelight now, the Solist Sherry has received plenty of attention, too. Awards include a 2013 gold and premium at the Malt Maniacs Award, a 2012 platinum from the Beverage Testing Institute and a 2012 double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.