🥃 The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve
The Glenlivet's base single malt without an age statement, 40 % vol., since 2015; mostly ex-bourbon casks.
The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve is a single malt from Speyside without an age statement, at 40 % vol. It was launched in March 2015 and replaced The Glenlivet 12 Year Old as the base expression of the range. According to Difford's Guide, green apple, cereal, orange, apricot and vanilla can be tasted in it.
The whisky matures mainly in ex-bourbon casks, with selected use of first-fill American oak casks. The base is local unpeated barley malt, water from Josie's Well, and tall copper stills at the Ballindalloch distillery. As with any Single Malt Scotch, it matures in oak casks for at least 3 years.
Why this matters to you. This is the simplest entry point into The Glenlivet range and a good reference for comparing The Glenlivet 12 Year Old and 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve. The absence of an age statement does not mean lower quality; it only means the exact age is not stated. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | March 2015 (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 | mainly ex-bourbon casks, selectively first-fill American oak |
| Minimum maturation | no age statement; by law at least 3 years in oak |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40 % vol. |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve → packed in → 🍷 Oak barrel ← packed in ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🥃 Ex-bourbon barrel
- 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 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve, 🥃 The Glenlivet 18 Year Old, 🥃 The Glenlivet 12 Year Old, 🥃 The Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve, 🥃 The Glenlivet 18 Year Old, 🥃 The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso, 🥃 The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso, 🥃 Glenfiddich, 🥃 Glen Garioch Founder's Reserve
Frequently asked questions
Did Founder's Reserve replace the 12-year-old?
According to Difford's Guide, in March 2015 it replaced The Glenlivet 12 Year Old as the base expression; the 12-year-old later returned.
What is the strength of Founder's Reserve?
40 % vol., according to Difford's Guide.
What casks is it matured in?
Mainly ex-bourbon casks, with selected first-fill American oak.
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.
- 🥃 Glenfiddich — Distillery and brand of single malt scotch in Dufftown (Speyside), founded in 1886; owned by the family firm William Grant & Sons; the 12-year-old is 40% ABV.
Similar
🥃 The Glenlivet 12 Year Old · 🥃 The Glenlivet 18 Year Old · 🥃 The Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve · 🥃 The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso · 🥃 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 Founder's Reserve (40 % ABV; no age statement; mostly ex-bourbon casks plus first-fill American oak; launched March 2015)
- 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