Glenlivet Cipher Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)

Note: Product has come from a private collection and as such has some minor scuffing/scratches/handling marks. Actual product not pictured.

A black bottle. No cask information. No tasting notes. In fact, as little information as is legally possible to put on a bottle of Scotch whisky. Intrigued? That was certainly the intention when Glenlivet released Cipher in 2016. Master Distiller, Alan Winchester wanted to challenge consumers in a new way: Decode the tasting notes and interpret how the whisky was created. Via a video, visitors to the Glenlivet Cipher web site were encouraged to create a flavour wheel by selecting six aromas for the nose and six flavours for the palate, indicating the strength of each, resulting in more than 10,000 possible flavour combinations.

Putting the marketing aside, reports have it that Winchester has indeed added a unique product to the Glenlivet stable: "We have used a combination of first-fill American Oak casks and first-fill sherry casks that have never been tried before at the distillery." 48% ABV and non-chill filtering adds another twist. Scheduled for release in select countries only, we've managed to secure a small allocation at a very tempting price.

Other reviews... Few whiskies I taste this year will compare to this.
96.5 points - Jim Murrays Whisky Bible 2017