🥃 The Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve
The Glenlivet 15-year-old matured in Limousin French oak, with a small share of sherry-oak casks, 40 % vol.
The Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve is a Speyside single malt with 15 years of maturation and 40 % vol. according to Difford's Guide. Its distinguishing feature is casks made from Limousin French oak from the Dordogne region, to which some whisky from sherry-oak casks has been added. The reviewer found dried fruit, spiced apple, caramel, cinnamon and clove in the taste.
The base is the same as for all the expressions of the brand: local unpeated barley malt, water from Josie's Well and copper stills at Ballindalloch. The whisky matures in oak casks for 15 years, far more than the 3-year legal minimum. The longer age and French oak give a dry, spicy style compared with American bourbon casks.
Why this matters to you. This expression is for those who already know The Glenlivet 12 Year Old and want to see how French oak and a longer maturation change the taste. The strength varies across sources, so check it against the label. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | distillery founded 1824, per Difford's Guide |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890) (Single Malt Scotch Whisky; Speyside) |
| EU category | 2 — whisky (whisky/whiskey) |
| Raw material | barley malt; water from Josie's Well |
| Cask type | Limousin French oak (Dordogne) and a little sherry oak |
| Minimum maturation | 15 years |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40 % vol. (per Difford's Guide) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 The Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🐝 French oak, 🍷 Sherry
- Made from
- 🥃 Barley and malt in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 The Glenlivet, 🥃 Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Speyside whisky
- Similar and different
- 🥃 The Glenlivet 12 Year Old, 🥃 The Glenlivet 12 Year Old, 🥃 The Glenlivet 18 Year Old, 🥃 The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve, 🥃 The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso, 🥃 The Glenlivet 18 Year Old, 🥃 The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve, 🥃 The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso, 🥃 Glenfiddich
Frequently asked questions
Is the 15-year-old matured only in sherry casks?
No: according to Difford's Guide, the base is French Limousin oak, and only a little sherry oak is added.
What is the strength of this version?
40 % vol. according to Difford's Guide; some retail descriptions give other figures, so check the label.
Where does the oak for the casks come from?
Limousin oak from the Dordogne region of France.
What to read next
- 🥃 The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso — The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso: Speyside, 48 % vol., first-fill sherry casks, no chill filtration or added colouring.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🍷 Sherry — Protected wine from the Jerez de la Frontera area of Andalusia, aged in oak casks in the solera system; 14 to 22 % alcohol.
Similar
🥃 The Glenlivet 18 Year Old · 🥃 The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso · 🥃 The Glenlivet 12 Year Old · 🥃 The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve · 🥃 Knockando 15 Year Old · 🥃 Knockando 18 Year Old
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Difford's Guide: The Glenlivet 15yo French Oak Reserve (40 % ABV; 15 years; Limousin oak from the Dordogne plus a small amount of sherry oak)
- Difford's Guide: The Glenlivet Distillery (Ballindalloch, Speyside; established 1824; Josie's Well; unpeated malted barley; copper pot stills)
- The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2890), reg. 3: Scotch Whisky and Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Scotland, oak up to 700 l, min. 3 years, min. 40 % ABV)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)
Also listed under
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch WhiskySpeyside whisky
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch WhiskyThe Glenlivet
- SpiritsWhiskyScotch Whisky
- SpiritsWhiskyThe Glenlivet