The Glenlivet
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The Glenlivet is a Speyside Single malt Scotch Whisky produced by The Glenlivet Distillery several miles south of Ballindalloch, Scotland. The distillery is operated by Chivas for Pernod Ricard.
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[edit] History
The distillery was founded in 1824 by George Smith. It was not the first licensed distillery in Scotland: many distilleries such as Ardbeg, Lagavulin and Royal Brackla were founded earlier (see Craig, 1994, p480 for list of Scotch whisky distilleries' foundation dates). The current distillery was built in 1858 at Minmore, near where the rivers Avon and Livet meet. In 1884, the Smiths won exclusive rights to the name The Glenlivet, enabling them to protect their trademark against encroachment by other, lesser quality whiskies.
The whisky originates in the Glen of the Livet, and two other distillers, Tamnavulin and Braeval, are also in the area, with the latter also owned by Pernod. In the Avon valley, the Tomintoul distillery also uses the term "Glenlivet" on its label. The nearest town to the Livet glen is Tomintoul, Scotland, which is approximately ten miles (16 kilometres) south.
In 1977 the distillery was purchased by the North American alcohol giant Seagram, which has heavily promoted it in the American market; it is now the most widely sold single malt Scotch in the USA.
In 1827 James Hogg said of the whisky:
- Gie me the real Glenlivet... the human mind never tires o' Glenlivet. If a body could just find oot the exac' proportion and quantity that ought to be drunk every day, and keep to that, I verily trow that he might leeve for ever, without dying at a', and that doctors and kirkyards would go oot o' fashion. (quoted in Cooper 1992)
[edit] Bottlings
The most common bottlings of The Glenlivet available in most places worldwide today:
- The Glenlivet 12 Year Old
- The Glenlivet 15 Year Old French Oak Reserve
- The Glenlivet 18 Year Old
- The Glenlivet 21 Year Old Archive
Additional bottlings include:
- The Glenlivet 12 Year Old First Fill
- The Glenlivet 15 Year Old
- The Glenlivet Nadurra 16 Year Old
- The Glenlivet Cellar Collection
Proprietary bottlings occurred for 12 Years; 15 Years French Oak Reserve; 18 Years and 21 Years Archive.
[edit] Pop Culture
In Season Four, Episode Five of HBO's The Sopranos, it was implied that Tony Soprano preferred The Glenlivet while drinking in Adriana La Cerva's nightclub Crazy Horse.
A reference was made to Glenlivet by Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) in the 2004 film Anchorman. "I'll have three fingers of Glenlivet with a little bit of pepper and some cheese."
Detective William "Bunk" Moreland is of the HBO series The Wire is often seen drinking The Glenlivet.
The Crash Test Dummies song, "When I Go Out With Artists," claims that if artists controlled television, then all advertisements would be for "fine Scotch whisky" such as Glenfiddich and Glenlivet.
[edit] References
- Cooper, Derek (1992). The Little Book of Malt Whiskies. Belfast: Appletree Press.
- Craig, Charles (1994). The Scotch Whisky Industry Record. Dumbarton: Index Publishing Ltd.
- McPhee, John (1975). "Josie's Well", Pieces of the Frame. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
