It’s time for a new series on the blog – the Headbangers! No, this is not a series of posts on the WWE wrestling duo or heavy metal band, but a series of posts where we’ll put 2 whiskies in the boxing ring and we’ll see which one fares better, get the laurels and maybe get our approval.
Although it’s a series, I will publish regular posts in between as ‘snacks’ and interludes so you won’t get bored of this too fast.
Anyway, time for the first round – we’ll pit the recently released Glenlivet Founders Reserve against the previous core range lowest offering, the well known and best seller Glenlivet 12 Year Old.
As with other releases in the last year, which some will be covered in this series, Glenlivet released Founders Reserve due to the acute problem of high demand for whisky and not enough good casks for single malt. So we get a new offering, NAS of course, that allows Glenlivet to reduce the consumption rate of those older casks they have in the warehouses. The bad news? Glenlivet Founders Reserve was almost instantly was declared as the replacement of Glenlivet 12 in some key markets such as UK and Germany. Other markets get to keep the 12 Year Old (such as the USA and other European markets) so the question is are they fortunate or maybe the Founders Reserve is a worthy replacement? Continue reading
Nose: Hmm, this one has a young and hot nose but thankfully no new make notes. There’s abundant of cereals, honey and vanilla, leading to a very fresh and oily nose. Of course there’s sweet peat and some ashes but it’s far away from the ashy nose of the Ardbeg 10 and much more delicate and rounded. After a few minutes in the glass it’s getting sweeter with fruits, stewed fruits, hint of lemon curd and sugared cereals. 
Nose: A mild surprise here as there’s barely any trace of smoke and the 100+ppm is not aggressive (reminds me the Octomore Discovery in that sense). The peat is earthy and very clean (comparing to other Ardbegs). There’re fruits and lots of mellow lemon cream. With some time in the glass the smoke get stronger but not by much. I tried adding water and the smoke intensified and the fruits notes are lovelier with nectarines and apricots. 
Nose: Peat, pines resin burning in bonfire, all quite restrained for an Ardbeg whisky (No, Blasda isn’t Ardbeg 😉 ). Coffee, mocha and vanilla. Yes, the promised notes are here on the nose. 
Nose: Starts with a wine impact but then the peat comes up. Peanuts snacks (Bamba snack for the locals here in Israel). The peat that rose stays on the front with an underground layer of sweet honey and vanilla. After a few minutes in the glass the peat recedes and there are notes of sultanas and grapes. 
Nose: Starting with a very restrained nose with almost no peat and smoke. sour unripe berries and the chalky. milky vanilla dessert. With water: peatier at first and then it becomes sweeter while keeping the chalky/sour notes. 
Nose: Very sweet, a cocktail of wine and sherry notes, candies bucket, lollipops, wine gum bears, sour snake candies, licorice, x-mas cake spices. 
Nose: Young at nose. at least at first, as it’s light with young maltiness and sweet peat. After it settled in the glass there are spices, pears and green apples, pastry dough but the peat profile is very bowmore-y. 
Whisky Gospel 