The Perfect Fifth Glenlivet 40 Year Old is a single cask, cask-strength Speyside single malt distilled in 1978 and bottled in 2019, with only 114 bottles drawn from cask 13523. Presented in a hand-built wooden barrel case that opens to reveal the decanter, it is an exceptionally rare chance to own a four-decade Glenlivet bottled exactly as the cask gave it.
The Perfect Fifth is an independent bottler that specialises in very old, very small releases. Every bottling is a single cask, bottled at its natural cask strength without dilution, and each release is limited to a few hundred bottles at most. The company seeks out casks from celebrated distilleries across Scotland's regions, and this Glenlivet is among the oldest in its range.
After more than forty years in oak, the cask's natural strength had settled at 41.7% ABV. That gentle strength is typical of very old whisky, as alcohol slowly evaporates through the wood over the decades, and it gives this Glenlivet a soft, elegant texture while keeping its fruit and spice vivid. Because it comes from a single cask, this exact whisky cannot be reproduced: once the 114 bottles are gone, the release is finished.
Tasting Notes
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Nose: Fruity and zesty, peppered with a hint of spice.
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Palate: Soft malt and toast.
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Finish: Long and complex.
Specifications
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Producer: The Perfect Fifth (independent bottler); distilled at Glenlivet
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Style: Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky, cask strength
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Expression / Batch: Cask 13523, distilled 1978, bottled 2019, 114 bottles
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Age: 40 years
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Proof / ABV: 83.4 proof (41.7% ABV)
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Region: Speyside, Scotland
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Size: 700ml
How to Enjoy It
Pour a small measure neat into a nosing glass and let it rest for several minutes: very old single malts reveal themselves slowly. At its natural strength it needs no water, so taste it as bottled first. It pairs well with shortbread, dried apricots or a mild cigar, and its barrel case makes it a remarkable gift for a fortieth birthday, an anniversary or a collector who values provenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cask is The Perfect Fifth Glenlivet 40 from?
It comes from cask 13523, distilled in 1978 and bottled in 2019, which yielded 114 bottles.
What proof is The Perfect Fifth Glenlivet 40 Year Old?
It is bottled at its natural cask strength of 41.7% ABV, or 83.4 proof.
Who is The Perfect Fifth?
The Perfect Fifth is an independent bottler that releases very limited single casks at cask strength.
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