I really enjoy the 'Flora And Fauna' Dailuaine 16. I recently bought a Signatory Vintage cask strength 20 year old version of Dailuaine to open with my mates when we can finally hug like brothers. I hope it's as good as the company will be, cheers Ralfy!
Signatory are known for their record in bottling high profile Glenlivets from Sherry Butt maturation for more than two decades now, with some truly outstanding single cask gems that make my mouth water when even thinking about them. My first ever independent bottling was in fact a Sherry Butt Glenlivet from Signatory's Unchillfiltered Collection. Ever since I am a Glenlivet fan ;)
All in on blending, Ralfy. When multiple bottles get below 40% I do a 2 parts peated (same bottle) and 3 parts non-peated (different bottles). Haven't been disappointed yet. Comes out like a Highland Park of 15-20 years ago.
I have become a scotch lover after starting my whiskey journey with bourbon because of the accessibility here in the states. Bourbon doesn't need official bottlings because of the strict governing of the process of making bourbon whiskey. It must be natural color, with nothing added. Although, I'm not sure about the chill filtration aspect of the bourbon laws. The governing laws of bourbon keeps the integrity of the whiskey, but stifles creativity. It's kind of a double edged sword. Cheers, great video as always.
Same here...I found his reviews 10 years ago when I was researching Buffalo Trace. That is still my favourite bourbon, but like you, I too have become a lover of good Scotch because of Ralfy. Cheers!
I've had the Nadurra 16 and it is so much better than anything else I've had from the distillery including the 18. They know natural presentation is better. They know.
Shame they knocked off the age statement, the NAS version isn’t moving off shelves and regularly gets reduced to below £40 on Amazon. It’s a great introduction to Cask Strength, especially batch FF0717.
2:40 Ralfy. As far as I am aware, most modern sherry butts, made and seasoned exclusively for the whisky industry, are 500 litres (although real Bodega Solara casks can be 600). Does it say that it's 600 litres on the label? Port pipes and Madeira drums are around 600 litres.
This is a great range from Signatory. I've got two bottles; a 10 year old Teaninich and a 21 year or Glen Elgin. Both are delicious and both were fantastic value. £51 for a 46%, NCF 21 year old.
Then I really need to get onto Signatory. Been wanting to try some older stuff but am not forking out over £100 for the privilege, so this sounds like a good idea as I've not done many independent bottlings, and that can't be beaten for price.
Hi @ralfy - I'm glad & honoured you doing this review of an independent bottling of Glenlivet. Often this large, high-volume distillery gets ignored by some anoraks, but you've got to admire the consistency of their productions. The O.B. 12 yo is on my list of 'daily drams' and when a restaurant has it, the Nàdurra makes for a fine dessert.
Signatory... a pearl of the scots, created by Andrew Symington and his brother. Glenlivet from signatory is better than the most original bottelings. (imho) *slàinte mhath* 🥃🕊️
Just picked up the longmorn 26 year old of this series, bottled in 1990. First time I've seen the signatory vintage in the wild here in Texas. Can't wait to give it a go, cheers!
Decided to get mine off the shelf and drink along. Definitely picking up the fruit basket on the 12. It became more oaky and biscuity the longer I left it too. Thanks for the review Ralfy. A good reminder for us Malt heads to not snob over some of the more 'basic' stuff.
Great review Ralfy. The Glenlivet 12(official bottling) will always have a special place in my heart. It's the whisky that started me on my journey. I can't find any Signatory where I live, but I'm interested in some Berry bros bottlings I've seen. Particularly their Bunnahabhain bottlings. Anyway Ralfy, Cheers🥃
Recently glenlivet bottled limited edition, non chill filtered, 48% version of the 12 year old and they call it illicit still. Would love to hear your thoughts on it. It's very reasonably priced as well
I think you're off on saying that there aren't many independent bourbon bottlers. In some parts of America, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a distillery.
In Tennessee we can't get liquor delivered, only wine, and I don't recall seeing any quality independently bottled scotches. I'd love to be able to try these signatory bottlings. Almost all scotch and Irish available here is 40% and double the cost of a comparable bourbon. I'm sticking to bourbon for now
Every OB Glenlivet I've ever had has been a bland, watery experience, though I've never had any of the early 16 yo Nadurra's which I'm assured are quite good.
Hell Ralfy, that was a well presented , entertaining and enjoyable review, loved it. I've had a couple S & G glenlivets in this range and they have also keen good.
So close. Last year, I bought a 10y old (literally missing 1month and 1week to be 11y old) Signatory Vintage Glenlivet, 1st Fill Sherry Butt, Cask 900255. I have so many unopened bottles, but I guess I will make this the next unpeated one to open
The info on the Butt was interesting, did you once bring up why " extra Oak " can't be introduced into a barrel in the form of a series of panels of some description fixed within the barrel??? giving a Sherry Butt with some virgin Oak to affect the finish as not allowed for some daft reason, that's like saying a Chef can NOT have any leeway to massage a recipe. Cheer's Ralphy, you're a one of !!
Ralfy...Glenlivet 12 and Glenfiddich 15 which you said is 3% higher in the US, I can tell you they are not. Those are 40% ABV bottles here too unfortunately.
Your way of explaining and talking is Therapeutic. Thank you Ralphy. I discovered you 2 weeks ago and now i'm hooked. :) 88/100 is a great score. Secondly. i think 91/100 is the highest rating you have every given to any whisky on your channel(Aberlour, Tyrconnell, Red breast). Have you ever came across any whisky which is in 92+ score category ?? just curious. :) Thanks
He's done one or two 94+ and I think even a 96 once. They are on the channel, and I think he has his markings done on his website so you can check those reviews.
I just wish my palate was educated enough to notice those differences but sadly, not too much. I have tried some blending, notice more on the smell but taste I can't do it. Will keep trying though.
Ok now I have seen your review and my thoughts are similar to yours for different reasons. My bottle purchased in Dallas Texas seems so spectacular except for 1 thing. Balance. If it was balanced better it would be the best of my small collection. Be interested to see how it changes in a month or so. My ugie has seemed to fall out balance. Scotch is beautiful world I stumbled into. Thank you Ralfy for helping us explore it.
Hey Ralfy, for reference how do you compare the Illicit Still Edition of the 12 that’s higher strength to the Signatory? Are they more comparable, or does Signatory still blow its socks off? 🧦
@@alisuperhornet LCBO seems to have been lacking in their stock compared to SAQ the past couple years. Even here on the east coast our selection has been better between NB and NS. Don't see much in the way of Signatory, but Old Malt Cask, Hepburn's Choice, Hart Brothers and Gordon & MacPhail all have a number of bottlings available here.
Another enjoyable review thanks Ralfy I'm learning all the time - could you please suggest a couple of.books worth reading to help with understanding whisky history, distillation & maturation process etc etc? (I've purchased your book btw great read would highly recommend!).
I would highly recommend the various editions of 101 whiskies to try before you die by Ian Buxton find them on ebay also his 101 legendary whiskies you would like to try but probably never will.
I hate to kill your idea that we here in the US have it at 43% ABV, but I am sitting here in Virginia with a Glenlivet at 40% ABV. And anyhow, unless it is above 46% AQBV, it has to be chill filtered, so 43/40, what does it matter?
There are 43% non chill filtered malts. And 43% has 7.5% more whisky than 40% (if there was such a thing as 100% whisky). I'm with you, 46% is better, but I'll take 43 over 40. Last year in the US market they lowered Old Pulteney 12 and Speyburn 10 to 40%. I won't be buying.
I am slightly puzzled by your tasting notes. Yes, they are both Glenlivets from the same stills....but, and this is a big butt!, the official bottling is a marriage of mainly Ex-Bourbon barrels, hogsheads and perhaps some old ex-sherry butts, where as this Signatory came from a single fresh fist-fill sherry butt. One would expect then, from the standard bottling, white and yellow apples, pineapple, white wine, honey, vanilla..... whereas one would expect in total contrast, from the Signatory, loads of wet resinous wood flavours with dark fruits like strawberries, glazed cherries, dates, dark raisins, and perhaps pickled pineapple.....but, and again I stress, this is a big butt, you only mention the pineapple! What happened to all those dark fruits? My guess... I'd guess that it is a similar phenomena to people's different descriptions of heavily peated whiskies. Despite newbies being overwhelmed by all that peat and not being able to smell or taste anything else, many experienced drinkers get so used to the peat flavours that, when describing the flavour, they completely ignore them! I would guess that you are completely ignoring all those dominant dark fruit flavours and concentrating on the secondarily flavours like pineapple? Oh, and I've just realised that I have made the exact same mistake with your constantly great reviews. I have got to used to your wonderfully entertaining reviews that I have forgotten to mention how much I enjoyed it and instead, only concentrated on the bits I disagree or am puzzled about. Sorry! It reminds me of the story of someone holding up a white piece of paper with a tiny black dot in the middle, and asking someone what they see. Instead of saying that its a white sheet of paper (99.9% of the object), instead they all say that they see a black dot!
I watch Ralfy reviews because he doesn't march to anyone else's beat. Great review, as always.
Well he has recently put out a lot of positive reviews of Grant's family whiskies which makes ma a wee bit suspicious.
He is our Malty Senpai.
Beat of his own drum
What an experience within the same house but different bottler! Signatory always standing out!!
In my experience (5 unique bottlings), every spirit Signatory touches turns to gold. Can’t recommend enough.
I really enjoy the 'Flora And Fauna' Dailuaine 16. I recently bought a Signatory Vintage cask strength 20 year old version of Dailuaine to open with my mates when we can finally hug like brothers. I hope it's as good as the company will be, cheers Ralfy!
Signatory are known for their record in bottling high profile Glenlivets from Sherry Butt maturation for more than two decades now, with some truly outstanding single cask gems that make my mouth water when even thinking about them.
My first ever independent bottling was in fact a Sherry Butt Glenlivet from Signatory's Unchillfiltered Collection.
Ever since I am a Glenlivet fan ;)
All in on blending, Ralfy. When multiple bottles get below 40% I do a 2 parts peated (same bottle) and 3 parts non-peated (different bottles). Haven't been disappointed yet. Comes out like a Highland Park of 15-20 years ago.
I have become a scotch lover after starting my whiskey journey with bourbon because of the accessibility here in the states. Bourbon doesn't need official bottlings because of the strict governing of the process of making bourbon whiskey. It must be natural color, with nothing added. Although, I'm not sure about the chill filtration aspect of the bourbon laws. The governing laws of bourbon keeps the integrity of the whiskey, but stifles creativity. It's kind of a double edged sword. Cheers, great video as always.
Same here...I found his reviews 10 years ago when I was researching Buffalo Trace. That is still my favourite bourbon, but like you, I too have become a lover of good Scotch because of Ralfy. Cheers!
Hi Ralfy, picked up a bottle of Ardbeg 5 year wee beastly today in Louisville, Kentucky for $47... good price!
I've had the Nadurra 16 and it is so much better than anything else I've had from the distillery including the 18. They know natural presentation is better. They know.
Benjamin * Completely agree with you. They do know. How could they not. Such a powerful, complex and delicious bottling and often at 120+ proof!
Agreed! Nadurra 16 was just excellent, I had it at a visit with friends, so sad they discontinued it, hope the NAS are as good.
Shame they knocked off the age statement, the NAS version isn’t moving off shelves and regularly gets reduced to below £40 on Amazon. It’s a great introduction to Cask Strength, especially batch FF0717.
2:40 Ralfy. As far as I am aware, most modern sherry butts, made and seasoned exclusively for the whisky industry, are 500 litres (although real Bodega Solara casks can be 600). Does it say that it's 600 litres on the label?
Port pipes and Madeira drums are around 600 litres.
This is a great range from Signatory. I've got two bottles; a 10 year old Teaninich and a 21 year or Glen Elgin. Both are delicious and both were fantastic value. £51 for a 46%, NCF 21 year old.
Then I really need to get onto Signatory. Been wanting to try some older stuff but am not forking out over £100 for the privilege, so this sounds like a good idea as I've not done many independent bottlings, and that can't be beaten for price.
Hi @ralfy - I'm glad & honoured you doing this review of an independent bottling of Glenlivet. Often this large, high-volume distillery gets ignored by some anoraks, but you've got to admire the consistency of their productions. The O.B. 12 yo is on my list of 'daily drams' and when a restaurant has it, the Nàdurra makes for a fine dessert.
Signatory... a pearl of the scots, created by Andrew Symington and his brother.
Glenlivet from signatory is better than the most original bottelings. (imho)
*slàinte mhath* 🥃🕊️
Just picked up the longmorn 26 year old of this series, bottled in 1990. First time I've seen the signatory vintage in the wild here in Texas. Can't wait to give it a go, cheers!
Thank you Ralfy. Another great review. I have tried blending and love to add a bit of smoke to my whisky. Always get a lot of variations.
Decided to get mine off the shelf and drink along. Definitely picking up the fruit basket on the 12. It became more oaky and biscuity the longer I left it too. Thanks for the review Ralfy. A good reminder for us Malt heads to not snob over some of the more 'basic' stuff.
Almost bought one of these a few months ago and really kicking myself that I didn't. Cheers
I just bought one barrel 900299, now the wait begins
Great review Ralfy. The Glenlivet 12(official bottling) will always have a special place in my heart. It's the whisky that started me on my journey. I can't find any Signatory where I live, but I'm interested in some Berry bros bottlings I've seen. Particularly their Bunnahabhain bottlings. Anyway Ralfy, Cheers🥃
Great review Ralfy, thanks for the blending ideas
Damn good! Just starting on peated malts.. great introduction
Amazing review Ralfy! Keep the malts flowing!
Recently glenlivet bottled limited edition, non chill filtered, 48% version of the 12 year old and they call it illicit still. Would love to hear your thoughts on it. It's very reasonably priced as well
I think you're off on saying that there aren't many independent bourbon bottlers. In some parts of America, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a distillery.
Thanks Ralfy, years ago you brought me to whisky-blending. Thanks mate! Watching this video smoking a small cuban Vegueros Mañanita, both a treat! :)
Ralfy interesting bottling you got there! Nice ending you truly are a technic expert!
In Tennessee we can't get liquor delivered, only wine, and I don't recall seeing any quality independently bottled scotches. I'd love to be able to try these signatory bottlings. Almost all scotch and Irish available here is 40% and double the cost of a comparable bourbon. I'm sticking to bourbon for now
Cheers to the detailed and informative review as always, and cheers to the first-time-clicker.
Stay healthy everyone!
Ralfy, thank you! Great review as always
Ralfy, hope you get your hands on a Glenlivet 12 illicit still bottling. Seems to be sold out and getting good reviews.
Every OB Glenlivet I've ever had has been a bland, watery experience, though I've never had any of the early 16 yo Nadurra's which I'm assured are quite good.
I see lints of Signanoty malts at my fav store in Los Angeles and will look for Glenlivet next time!!
Hell Ralfy, that was a well presented , entertaining and enjoyable review, loved it. I've had a couple S & G glenlivets in this range and they have also keen good.
So close. Last year, I bought a 10y old (literally missing 1month and 1week to be 11y old) Signatory Vintage Glenlivet, 1st Fill Sherry Butt, Cask 900255.
I have so many unopened bottles, but I guess I will make this the next unpeated one to open
The info on the Butt was interesting, did you once bring up why " extra Oak " can't be introduced into a barrel in the form of a series of panels of some description fixed within the barrel??? giving a Sherry Butt with some virgin Oak to affect the finish as not allowed for some daft reason, that's like saying a Chef can NOT have any leeway to massage a recipe. Cheer's Ralphy, you're a one of !!
Compass Box use virgin oak heads on their barrels. They tried using inner staves prior to that and got in trouble for it.
Ralfy...Glenlivet 12 and Glenfiddich 15 which you said is 3% higher in the US, I can tell you they are not. Those are 40% ABV bottles here too unfortunately.
The official bottling of Glenlivet 12 is 40% here in the U.S. as well. Glenmorangie is 43% though.
I wonder how it would compare to the Illicit Still 12 year old Glenlivet. Limited Release at 48% ABV.
Your way of explaining and talking is Therapeutic. Thank you Ralphy. I discovered you 2 weeks ago and now i'm hooked. :) 88/100 is a great score.
Secondly. i think 91/100 is the highest rating you have every given to any whisky on your channel(Aberlour, Tyrconnell, Red breast). Have you ever came across any whisky which is in 92+ score category ?? just curious. :) Thanks
He's done one or two 94+ and I think even a 96 once. They are on the channel, and I think he has his markings done on his website so you can check those reviews.
Great presentation Ralfy........slàinte mhath
I love how you say everything you say
I just wish my palate was educated enough to notice those differences but sadly, not too much. I have tried some blending, notice more on the smell but taste I can't do it. Will keep trying though.
. . . practice builds the experience !
I like blending, this one would be interesting!
I have this bottle though not sure of the cask used. It’s freaking awesome can’t wait to see your rating.
Ok now I have seen your review and my thoughts are similar to yours for different reasons.
My bottle purchased in Dallas Texas seems so spectacular except for 1 thing. Balance. If it was balanced better it would be the best of my small collection. Be interested to see how it changes in a month or so. My ugie has seemed to fall out balance.
Scotch is beautiful world I stumbled into. Thank you Ralfy for helping us explore it.
I love Signatory bottlings... never tried a Glenlivet, yet. Slangevar Ralfy 🥃🥃
Slàinte 😁
Hey Ralfy, for reference how do you compare the Illicit Still Edition of the 12 that’s higher strength to the Signatory? Are they more comparable, or does Signatory still blow its socks off? 🧦
. . . different, strength of alcohol is an asset, but not a decider.
Thank you Ralfy!!
Glenlivet 12 in the US isn't quite as good as Ralfy thinks. While it is 750 ml it is only 40 %. If they want to make it 43% I will be OK with that.
Ahhh! Self blending - can't wait 🥃🥃🥃👍
props on the click
We can't get any of the independent bottlings here in Canada :(
I dont know where you are located but we get alot of Independant bottlings in QC
@@po667 Really? I'm in Ontario and I have never seen any at LCBO 🤔
@@alisuperhornet LCBO seems to have been lacking in their stock compared to SAQ the past couple years. Even here on the east coast our selection has been better between NB and NS. Don't see much in the way of Signatory, but Old Malt Cask, Hepburn's Choice, Hart Brothers and Gordon & MacPhail all have a number of bottlings available here.
Amazing revew 😊 you are amazing
Great review as always 👍🏻
If the whisky comes out of the casks at 46% how they reduce it to 40% to bottle it - do they just add water?
. . . yes.
Love your reviews..... you are mixing up milligrams with millilitres for teaspoons etc. 4 millilitres is about 4 grams (water).
Ralfy knows this, he misspoke, he has it right in other videos.
Another enjoyable review thanks Ralfy I'm learning all the time - could you please suggest a couple of.books worth reading to help with understanding whisky history, distillation & maturation process etc etc? (I've purchased your book btw great read would highly recommend!).
I would highly recommend the various editions of 101 whiskies to try before you die by Ian Buxton find them on ebay also his 101 legendary whiskies you would like to try but probably never will.
I hate to kill your idea that we here in the US have it at 43% ABV, but I am sitting here in Virginia with a Glenlivet at 40% ABV. And anyhow, unless it is above 46% AQBV, it has to be chill filtered, so 43/40, what does it matter?
There are 43% non chill filtered malts. And 43% has 7.5% more whisky than 40% (if there was such a thing as 100% whisky). I'm with you, 46% is better, but I'll take 43 over 40. Last year in the US market they lowered Old Pulteney 12 and Speyburn 10 to 40%. I won't be buying.
Is there something that makes it difficult for most distilleries to make their whisky at 43-46%?
Yes Greed
Yes, it's called money
Hello Ralfy. Can you please tell me the brand of Magnifier you're using? I know it's an oldie.
Steampunker
Anyone got a link, non left I can find :(
Partial to a drop of this. Am I first?
AKSp. - quality not quantity :)
Ralfy, I've seen you talk about whiskies, rums and brandies. But do you ever drink Tequilas?
Ralfy mate, where do u get Signatory?
. . . U.K. market, check with the bottler for availability where you are.
Signatory does it again
Same experience with official Macallans for me. Busier on the nose then on the pallette. Not bad, a quality malt for sure, but definitely boring.
I think your barrell says "rolfy.com". Just looking out!
In racking warehouses the butts go up to eight tiers high, and hogsheads ten high.
Ralfy = WinRAR XD
@4:50 - More valued customers? Bollocks! We just have more money to spend, or thus Glenlivet reasons :-/
🥃🙌
You know it would probably take the same amount of time to say the full mention as it does to explain that you abbreviated it XD Just saying, m8
First
I need a malty mention
.
. . . Verified as First !
.
My Malty Modern maniacs
@@TheChefproductions How does one go about submitting a malt mention?
LOL, I think you're a couple years past them getting too convoluted. Cheers
I am slightly puzzled by your tasting notes. Yes, they are both Glenlivets from the same stills....but, and this is a big butt!, the official bottling is a marriage of mainly Ex-Bourbon barrels, hogsheads and perhaps some old ex-sherry butts, where as this Signatory came from a single fresh fist-fill sherry butt.
One would expect then, from the standard bottling, white and yellow apples, pineapple, white wine, honey, vanilla..... whereas one would expect in total contrast, from the Signatory, loads of wet resinous wood flavours with dark fruits like strawberries, glazed cherries, dates, dark raisins, and perhaps pickled pineapple.....but, and again I stress, this is a big butt, you only mention the pineapple! What happened to all those dark fruits?
My guess...
I'd guess that it is a similar phenomena to people's different descriptions of heavily peated whiskies. Despite newbies being overwhelmed by all that peat and not being able to smell or taste anything else, many experienced drinkers get so used to the peat flavours that, when describing the flavour, they completely ignore them!
I would guess that you are completely ignoring all those dominant dark fruit flavours and concentrating on the secondarily flavours like pineapple?
Oh, and I've just realised that I have made the exact same mistake with your constantly great reviews. I have got to used to your wonderfully entertaining reviews that I have forgotten to mention how much I enjoyed it and instead, only concentrated on the bits I disagree or am puzzled about. Sorry!
It reminds me of the story of someone holding up a white piece of paper with a tiny black dot in the middle, and asking someone what they see. Instead of saying that its a white sheet of paper (99.9% of the object), instead they all say that they see a black dot!
. . . happy to share the malt-moments !