The 15 Year Old gets its distinctive rich and exotic character from a process of selective maturation in which a proportion of the spirit is matured in French oak casks. In fact, we at The Glenlivet were one of the first to use French oak for making whisky, a technique that has since been imitated the world over. The Limousin oak we use is cut in Frances Dordogne region, where its often used to mature cognacs. Its low density allows whisky to sink deep into the wood, and we carefully control how long the whisky matures in the casks so as not to overpower the desired result: a unique, pleasing spiciness.

The opening salvo of the Glenlivet range, named in honour of the distillery’s founder, George Smith. It’s classic Glenlivet, with a creamy and fruity character bolstered by the use of first-fill American oak to mature some of the whisky.