Whisky of the Week: Glenlivet 12 year old Provence Edition

Speyside scotch distiller Glenlivet is no stranger to cask finishing, with its core Signature Collection prominently finishing single malts with cognac, Caribbean rum, and Limousin French oak, and some of its higher-end bottlings following suit. But last year the distillery put this method under the microscope with Beyond Speyside, a travel-themed series that re-imagines the distillery’s iconic 12 year old with cask finishes inspired by destinations around the world. The inaugural release was Jamaica Edition, which aimed to echo Caribbean flavors by finishing in barrels that previously held high-ester Jamaican rum. For the second release in the series, the distillery is turning its eyes to the Provence region of southern France, finishing its latest whisky in a series of wine casks from the area.

The French Connection

Like its predecessor, Glenlivet Provence Edition starts with a base of Glenlivet 12, which was aged in a mix of American and European oak casks. After maturation, a portion of the whisky was finished for an undisclosed span of time in three types of French wine casks. The first type previously held white wine from Château Sainte Marguerite, a prominent Côtes de Provence vineyard known for its cru classé cuvée whites and rosés. The second type is rivesaltes, an AOC-protected aged fortified wine from Languedoc-Roussillon. The third type is sauternes, a sweet dessert wine from the Graves subregion of Bordeaux that’s made from grapes affected by noble rot—a beneficial fungus that dehydrates the grapes while sharply increasing their sugar and acid concentrations— creating a sweeter wine.

Though not nearly as common as their sherry and port counterparts, French wine casks are sometimes used to finish whisky—most often popping up among single malt distillers in Ireland and Scotland. When used skillfully, these casks can help create impressive expressions. Sauternes is one of the most popular styles, prized by distillers like Glenmorangie, Bowmore, Kilchoman, Arran, and others for notes of honeyed fruit and concentrated sweetness. Bordeaux red wine casks are also very much in the picture, contributing lush red fruits to standout bottlings from Glen Scotia, Isle of Harris, Kavalan, Bushmills, and Glenfiddich. The Rivesaltes casks used to finish Glenlivet Provence Edition are far and away the rarest ones of the Provence Edition trio, with only a handful of distillers like Tomatin, Clonakilty, Teeling, and Bruichladdich having used them before.

Beyond these specific cask types, other French wine casks have also been used for finishing vessels. Aberfeldy is one of the leaders in the space, with several impressive expressions in its Wine Cask series, including Sémillon Cadillac white wine, Côte-Rôtie, Pomerol, Languedoc, and Pauillac. In terms of specific styles, Burgundian pinot noir also shows up occasionally, with examples from Bowmore Appellations Collection, Bushmills, and Tullibardine. Another underrated example is pineau des charentes—a fortified dessert wine from the Cognac region—which Balvenie, Old Pulteney, and Teeling have used to great effect.

How Does Glenlivet Provence Edition Taste?

91 points—Glenlivet 12 year old Provence Edition Speyside Single Malt

ABV: 40%
SRP: $55
Availability: Limited, but nationwide

An interesting mélange of fruit greets the nose, including grape jam, plums, baked peach, dried cranberries, and marmalade, alongside cloves and marzipan. Grape and plums reemerge for a light but flavorful palate, with apricot rings, cinnamon, vanilla, and pleasant tannins. It ends fairly mellow, with baked orchard fruits, red berries, candied orange peel, and peach, with softer tannins providing balance and structure. A thoroughly pleasurable experience, with delicious flavors that are somewhat restrained by the low proof.