Glenlivet vs Glenfiddich

In my last taste test, I compared Jack Daniels and Jim Beam, two bourbons you might call "low rent" perhaps. They conjure up images of road houses, well-worn jeans and good ol' boys.

This time, I picked up two very different sips... Glenlivet and Glenfiddich, two famous Scotch Whiskies with decidedly more high-brow pedigrees.

Upon first opening the bottles, I had a good sniff. At first they seem almost indistinguishable. But after a few good deep sniffs, a marked difference becomes apparent. The Glenfiddich has a much lighter, almost fruity aroma, while the Glenlivet has a richer, deeper scent, almost sweet, with a distinct, creamy caramel aroma.

Okay...on to the taste test. Glenfiddich first. It hits the tongue with a silky embrace, but the burn starts within a second or two. However, it's not a strong burn and doesn't burn going down. (Don't hold it in your mouth, though, or that burn will definitely intensify.) As suggested by the scent, it also has a light feel in the mouth. A nice flavour, lighter than bourbon, but still with that nice whisky taste. The fruitiness in the scent is not apparent in the flavour.

Now onto the Glenlivet.Definitely a heavier, thicker feel on the tongue. Smooth though, with a less stingy burn. The overall experience is of a full-bodied liquid. The flavour is rounder, creamier but still not as strong as a bourbon.

Between the two, I can easily say I prefer the Glenfiddich. One is silk and one is satin, but they're both excellent. The Glenlivet would have a definite edge on a cold winter night, while the Glenfiddich would be a nice summer sip.

Both definitely are a cut above the bourbons I've tried, and earn their reputation of being more refined drinks worthy of a place in a Scottish manor house library.

So, you've probably noticed a third bottle in the picture above and wondered if I've forgotten about it. Nope. But the reason it's there, and the reason I'm tacking on my comments about it at the end here, is because I didn't know I was going to be able to try it when I wrote the rest of this blog post.

Last night I was visiting my friends Carol and John. During the course of the evening, the subject of whiskey came up, and I told them about this blog post I was in the midst of writing, comparing Glenfiddich and Glenlivet. John jumped up and said WELL, if you're writing about whisky, you should try this one! And he pulled out a virgin, never-opened bottle of 10-year-old Laphroaig single-malt Scotch whisky. Oooh...great opportunity to try out a new tipple!

As it turns out, the Laphroaig is the Mama Bear in this tale of three whiskies.

With the initial sniff, I noticed a distinct smokey scent that I hadn't noticed in the other two whiskies. Otherwise, it seemed pretty much like the other two. The mouth feel hovered between the heavy satiny texture of the Glenlivet and the light silky feel of the Glenfiddich. The flavour was midway between the two also, making a really nice compromise between that winter-style Glenlivet and the summery Glenfiddich.

What really distinguished the Laphroaig from the other two was that smokiness I noted in the scent, which was surprisingly evident in the taste as well. I wasn't expecting that. Often with these things, the way it smells is one thing, the way it tastes is another. The round tube the bottle came in spoke of the "blue peaty smoke" flavour, and yep, it's definitely there...and it stays with you long after you've swallowed, which is also really nice. I can see Laphroaig as the perfect tipple to enjoy after a barbecue or a nice roast