Glenlivet distillery anniversary
Less than a month ago, the year 2024 began, and this means that we are entering in full swing the period when more distilleries will celebrate 200. anniversary. In fact, it just so happens that in 1823, the British Parliament passed a law called the 1823 Excise Act, which was a document that allowed the legal production of whisky in Scotland on an industrial scale.
And although it is not uncommon to erroneously say (and write) that the aforementioned law legalized the production of whiskey, in fact it was an act that, on the one hand, reduced and made taxes more realistic, and on the other, regulated the process of producing our favorite liquor. Many of the requirements described at the time, regarding what the production process should look like , the flow of liquids, what materials the alembics should be made of, etc., is still in force today. In fact, this piece of legislation 201 years ago largely shaped Scotch whisky as we know it today.
It is often said - also not quite rightly - that the 1823 Excise Act allowed existing illegal distilleries to be legalized. In fact, that piece of legislation imposed a fairly rigid framework on whiskey producers and required investment in distilleries, which illegal distillers were most often unable to afford. Therefore, the largest number of licenses was issued not in 1823, immediately after the new law was passed, but the following year, exactly 200 years ago.
The first distillery to announce a special celebration - in one form or another - of its bicentennial is Glenlivet. This distillery, located in the Livet valley in the Speyside region, was one of the first to be licensed to produce whisky, and is often identified as the pioneer of Scottish distilling. And indeed, George Smith, who was the first in the area to decide to abandon his illegal distilling business and go over to the other side, was exposed to the grave danger posed to him by his recent comrades, his moonshine brethren. He reportedly stocked up on a pair of pistols, which he always carried with him, just in case. George Smith survived, the idea of legal whisky production defended itself, and the name of the Glenlivet distillery over time became synonymous with the excellence of the liquor, a kind of mark of quality. Many distilleries, even those located at no small distance from the Livet Valley, have adopted "Glenlivet" as part of their name. We are talking about a time when protecting a trademark was a slightly more difficult challenge than it is today. The case went to court, and by court ruling, other whisky producers were allowed to use the nickname "Glenlivet" only as the second part of the name, and the actual oldest distillery put a prefix "the" in front of the name, emphasizing its uniqueness and priority.
The Glenlivet has just announced the release of an edition of its vintage whisky. One might expect that, like the Islay distilleries that celebrated their bicentennial a few years ago, there would be another, more exclusive anniversary edition, but in the meantime we get a bottle that any whisky lover can get their hands on and swing the dram for two hundred years of legal distilling in this part of Scotland, in Speyside.
The Glenlivet 200 Year Anniversary 12yo (43% vol.) is a whisky that does not promise fireworks, innovative distillation methods, or maturation in exquisite casks. The Glenlivet Anniversary is a 12-year-old beverage, matured in first-fill bourbon casks. The bouquet reportedly offers notes of fresh tangerines, pineapple and caramel sauce. On the taste, expect ripe, juicy pears, coconut shavings and creamy vanilla. The purchase of a single bottle will deplete our financial resources by the equivalent of £52. The official announcement, however, does not mention the limited-edition nature of the edition (which, after all, is easy to guess), nor the number of bottles available.
A bit of history can be found in the current offerings of the House of Whisky Online under the heading Glenlivet. These include old and new editions of The Glenlivet whisky, as well as a wide selection of often historic and collectible whiskies, on whose labels the word Glenlivet has just appeared as a marker of superior quality. You're welcome - stop by and check out the distilleries that have adopted this suffix for themselves. Well, and maybe buy a bottle or two to dry up the drama for the next 200 years of The Glenlivet. You can find their full selection here.
[16.01.2024 / photo: The Glenlivet]