Simon Wittenberg takes a look at The Glenlivet’s new limited trio of single malt Scotch whiskies that leaves people guessing…
The Glenlivet, the Speyside distillery in Scotland, is known for challenging the status quo, as well as its quest to open up the world of whisky to a whole new generation of drinkers. During the last decade or so, the brand released matt black limited edition bottles to encourage people to experience whisky aromas and flavours without any preconceptions.
These were namely Alpha, Cipher, Code and Enigma (a US exclusive), and were designed to keep whisky connoisseurs guessing as to what they were savouring.
Spectra is the next mysterious masterpiece to have been conjured up by Master Distiller Alan Winchester and his team in Speyside to tantalise the taste buds of drinkers. Once again, The Glenlivet has used the shade of black, but this time on a beautifully engineered trapezium-shaped box.
The reason for using this form is because the three 20cl bottles are housed in separate compartments (numbered one to three), that each has triangular-shaped magnetic lids (the middle section is an inverted triangle to make it all work together).
Why the name “Spectra” (which sounds like the name of a movie)? Well, we can only suppose it’s because this trio of mystery Scotch whiskies invites consumers to explore a wide “spectrum” of flavours through an immersive tasting experience. Each expression is a reinterpretation of The Glenlivet’s signature smooth and fruity house style and is released without any hint of what’s inside.
It’s all down to Scotch lovers to decipher the profile, and this has been assisted thanks to a bespoke digital experience that transports whisky lovers into a multi-sensory world. This thereby allows them to explore their own palate and personally interpret the elusive tasting notes of each expression.
Through a virtual experience, which can be activated by scanning Spectra’s QR code on a smartphone, whisky drinkers are then given cryptic hints and are challenged to put their tasting abilities to the test as they seek to determine the most prominent flavours of each bottle (i.e. whether it’s toffee, vanilla and pear for example). At the end of each tasting, users are given a personalised scorecard showing how close they got to decoding each of the three mysterious single malts.
Alan Winchester, Master Distiller at The Glenlivet, said: “True to our tradition-breaking spirit, we created an innovative whisky tasting experience across three single malts. Stretching our signature house style into three different single malt whiskies that work together as a collection was a unique challenge.
Given the mysterious nature of The Glenlivet Spectra, we aimed to ensure each flavour was distinct and recognisable. I hope whisky lovers enjoy exploring the wide spectrum of flavours within The Glenlivet Spectra, as much as we enjoyed crafting them.”
The full tasting notes and cask information will be revealed later this year, which will enable drinkers to fully uncover the expertly crafted tasting notes contained within The Glenlivet Spectra.
The Glenlivet Spectra – Where and How?
The Glenlivet Spectra is available exclusively from Master of Malt and is priced at £105 with free delivery. For more information, visit www.masterofmalt.com and www.theglenlivet.com. Orders are currently restricted to one per customer.
Read more articles on wines and spirits in our dedicated section here.