Friday 29 Mar 2024
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Speyside single malt distiller The Glenlivet turns the year-end into a double celebration with its exclusive Founder's Reserve gift pack

Its legacy reads like a thriller, involving royalty, illicit distillation, rogues and the triumph of good (whisky) in the end. The Glenlivet's tale is one of perseverance and single-minded application, beginning in the early 1800s with founder George Smith. He lived in the remote Livet Valley in Scotland and leveraged its isolation, away from the authorities, to carefully distil an icon that sparked the grassy, elegant fruit tradition of Speyside single malts.

It was a forbidden enterprise at the time but so exquisite was the resulting whisky that word reached even the ears of royalty. When King George IV arrived in Scotland in August 1822, he asked for a taste of the infamous Glenlivet, ignoring the illegitimacy of the dram.

Smith was a shrewd man who recognised an opportunity when he saw one, and was the first to ride to Elgin in the north for a licence when legislation changed in 1824. He became the first legal distiller in Speyside, which didn't go down well with the region's illegal operators who threatened to burn down his distillery in retaliation. Smith took to carrying a pair of flintlock pistols at all times to ward off smugglers and made it clear he wasn't afraid to use them.

Protected, the distillery flourished and by the 1830s, Glenlivet was producing more than 200 gallons a week and expanded its staff and distribution accordingly, its reputation reaching London. Charles Dickens even wrote to a friend, urging him to try the "rare old Glenlivet". When Smith passed away in 1871, his son John Gordon Smith left his law training to continue his father's life work. It proved fortuitous - competitors were slyly trading with the name Glenlivet to capitalise on its reputation and John fought for the rights to distinguish his company with a small but powerful three-letter word. In 1884, the brand became the one and only The Glenlivet.

Americans were thrilled to discover Scottish single malts when Prohibition ended in the next century and trains, planes and automobiles magnified travel and carried The Glenlivet name far and wide. The Pullman Train Company began serving miniature bottles on their routes to spread word of the whisky across the continent while jet-setters transported it to all corners of the globe.

Come another turn of century and the distillery, approaching its 200th birthday, is now singing to the tune of composer Alan Winchester. The Master Distiller called on his four decades of experience to craft a fitting tribute to the spirit of George Smith. It went on to amass the highest sales volume of any Scotch product launched in the five years since it was introduced.

The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve evokes the vision of Smith, the founder of the original Scotch whisky, with its distinctive rounded smoothness and nuanced fruity notes distilled in signature copper pot stills. Pure highland spring water and carefully picked, slow-dried malted barley infuse refreshing clarity and creaminess into the spirit, then aged in America's First Fill oak casks to allow the flavours to develop and intensify. Fruity notes are amplified during maturation, resulting in a delicate aroma of citrus fruits and sweet oranges while the palate recognises zesty pears, fragrant orange and silky caramel toffee apples. From bouquet to swallow, the label is sheer delight.

To mark the coming season of sharing, giving and revelling, The Glenlivet presents The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve in a limited edition gift pack, complete with two etched glasses that nod to the ethos of camaraderie and comradeship that define any great whisky experience. The same artistry that informs the Founder's Reserve is echoed in the craftsmanship of the glasses, explicitly designed for toasting milestones and new beginnings.

"We want to usher in the New Year with a tribute to our legendary founder. He created the first single malt whisky based on his belief that whisky should be enjoyed unhurriedly with company," said Benedict Yong, Whiskies & White Spirits Group Manager of Pernod Ricard Malaysia. "There is no better time to enjoy this whisky than during this season that brings all of us together."

The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve festive pack is available now at selected Aeon, Jaya Grocer, Cold Storage, Giant, MaxValu, Econsave, Oliver Gourmet, Jasons Food Hall, Mercato Pavilion and Mercato Hartamas.

Articulation of the history / heritage of The Glenlivet, please refer to our website https://www.theglenlivet.com/en-en/the-story. Focusing on the heritage that makes us THE Definitive Single Malt.

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