Guardians - the dictionary defines it as a group of people who protect or defend something. For Glenlivet, Guardians is a group of discerning whisky lovers who make up its exclusive “fan club”. This fan club would be responsible for selecting the single malt that goes into its latest release labelled “The Glenlivet Guardians' Chapter Limited Edition Single Malt”. In short, one could see them as Protectors of the New Release.
This limited edition release is a first of its kind because the single malt selected for this bottle was crowd-sourced by no other than tens of thousands of Guardians from around the world. The 6-month search process began internationally on September 2013, and in Malaysia, whisky enthusiasts were given a chance to partake in this search in November 2013. This is great news for the local industry as it shows that the whisky trade sees Malaysia as a significant contributor to its revenue. So we could expect to participate in more of these exciting international events in the future, fingers crossed.
Three expressions (Exotic, Classic and Revival) were handpicked for this global tasting tour. Guardians across 37 countries tasted and later voted for their preferred expression. In December 2013, the Guardians spoke and Exotic was announced as the winning expression, by 39% of the votes.
Exotic was matured in a mixture of Butts Hogshead and Barrels with an influence of Sherry Butt to give drinkers a rich, exotic taste of a dark chocolate, zesty and orange mix with a hint of warm spice – complemented with a long, dry finish. The aroma is said to be that of marmalade and fruitcake.
As someone who is particularly fond of Speyside whisky, I find Exotic an easy-going expression with a slightly spicy (a character not very common in a Speyside) finish which is very evident (but not distracting or repulsive) at its tail-end. This expression would truly appeal to the masses, since it is after all, chosen by the masses.
In Malaysia, the Guardians' Chapter limited edition single malt was launched by the Malaysian Glenlivet Brand Ambassador, Lionel Lau at Truefitt & Hill, Starhill Gallery Kuala Lumpur on 23 July 2014. Truefitt & Hill is the oldest barbershop in the world catering to London’s gentry since 1805; a fitting location for a whisky label nearly as old as it is (The Glenlivet was founded in 1824); to introduce its limited edition bottle to its fans.
To complement the launch, not only did the guests indulged themselves with seemingly endless flow of the classic 12, 15 (my favourite) and 18 years old Glenlivet expressions, they were also treated with a luxurious grooming experience once reserved only for the monarchs of Great Britain. Unfortunately, this grooming treat was only available for men; while the women watched and drown their envy in drams of the limited edition whisky (which coincidentally was also once enjoyed by the monarchs when King George IV specifically requested for a dram on a state visit to Scotland in 1822).
It is a pity that the event was catered only to the men. Women drinkers, while making up a minority of the spirits universe, is a growing and untapped market. We have moved a long way from days of Mad Men where women were frowned upon for drinking in public. In this century, women are earning as much as if not more than their male counterparts. It is a common sight to see groups of ladies accompanied by their structured designer bags and friends, enjoying their after work drinks in a bar or a club.
Subtle, light tasting whiskies would complement well to the feminine palate, in my opinion. Perhaps Speysides could take advantage of this fact to introduce female-skewed events for a change. Good news is, there could be one soon. So we wait in anticipation for that. Perhaps they’ll throw in a hunky male ambassador too!
If you want to join in the fun and not miss out on future exclusive Guardians-only programme, which gives you access to private tastings, limited editions releases, exclusive downloads and invitations to unique events – simply join the ranks of The Glenlivet Guardians by signing up at their website.
While there are 2,000 cases available globally, only 120 bottles are available in Malaysia. With ABV of 48.7% and at 700ml, the Glenlivet Exotic is available only to Guardians and sold at RM389.
The contributor: FireAngel enjoys her drinks, dancing & writing. Sometimes all at the same time. She gets too excited about trying new drinks and endeavors to try everything at least once. Visit her blog at angeltini.blogspot.com.