Speyside · 12 Year Old · 40%
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Few whiskies have done more to introduce people to single malt Scotch than The Glenlivet 12 Year Old. Light, fruity and beautifully balanced, it bursts with pineapple, pear and honeyed vanilla, and finishes soft and creamy. It is the kind of whisky you can hand to someone trying single malt for the first time, yet still enjoy yourself on a quiet evening.
Made at the distillery that holds one of the most famous licences in whisky history, it is also one of the best-selling single malts in the world, and for good reason.
Recent bottlings are labelled 12 Year Old Double Oak, which refers to how the whisky is matured. It spends time first in traditional European oak, which brings gentle richness and a touch of spice, and then in American oak, which adds vanilla, toffee and creamy sweetness. The two work together to give a smooth, rounded whisky that never feels heavy.
The distillery draws its water from Josie’s Well, a mineral-rich spring near the site. The distinctive height and width of The Glenlivet’s copper stills help create a delicate, fruity spirit, which is the signature house style you can taste in every bottle of the 12.
If you have ever wondered what people mean by a “classic Speyside”, this is it: bright orchard fruit, a floral lift, honeyed sweetness and no peat smoke at all.
Fruity and summery. Banana and pineapple come first, followed by floral, meadow-like aromas and a hint of honey.
Well balanced and fruity. Juicy peach and pear sweetness, strong pineapple notes, then creamy vanilla and toffee.
Soft, creamy and smooth, with a pleasantly long, gentle fade.
It is a light, sunny whisky, perfect for warmer evenings, and an easy crowd-pleaser when you are pouring for friends with different tastes.
Pour a measure into a nosing glass and let it sit for a moment. The pineapple and floral notes come through best this way.
A few drops of water bring the pear and vanilla forward. On a hot day, one large ice cube keeps it fresh without drowning the flavour.
Its light, fruity character makes it a great base for a Whisky Sour or a simple highball with chilled soda water and a twist of lemon.
Try it with seafood, grilled chicken, soft cheeses, fruit tarts or a lemon dessert. The fresh fruit flavours match lighter dishes beautifully.
In the early 1800s, the remote glen of the River Livet was famous for illicit stills and smugglers. Everything changed with the Excise Act of 1823, which made it possible to distil legally. George Smith, a farmer distilling at Upper Drumin, became one of the first in Scotland to take out a licence and founded his distillery in 1824 with his son, John Gordon Smith.
Going legal made Smith unpopular with the local smugglers, who threatened him. According to distillery history, his landlord, the Duke of Gordon, reportedly gave him a pair of pistols to protect himself.
The whisky became so famous that other Speyside distillers began adding “Glenlivet” to their own names. John Gordon Smith took them to court, and while they were still allowed to use it as part of a longer, hyphenated name, only his distillery could call itself simply The Glenlivet. That is why the “The” still appears on every label today.
After a fire at Upper Drumin in 1858, the distillery moved down the hill to Minmore, where it still stands. Today it is owned by Chivas Brothers, part of Pernod Ricard, and The Glenlivet is the best-selling single malt in the United States and the second best-selling single malt in the world.
If you like The Glenlivet 12’s mix of European and American oak, these unpeated Speyside 12 year olds are made in a similar way:
Want more ideas? Read our guide to the 10 best single malt Scotch whiskies to buy in 2026, or browse every Speyside single malt in our shop.
Say it “glen-LIV-it”, with the stress on the middle part.
No. It is an unpeated Speyside single malt, with fruity, floral and vanilla flavours rather than smoke.
It refers to the two types of oak used in maturation: traditional European oak first, followed by American oak.
Yes. Its light body, gentle sweetness and lack of smoke make it one of the most popular first single malts.
Both are unpeated Speyside 12 year olds owned by Chivas Brothers. The Glenlivet 12 is lighter and more tropical, with pineapple and pear. Aberlour 12 uses sherry casks, so it is richer, with red apple, toffee and chocolate.
Yes. It is one of the most recognised single malt names in the world, with an easy-going style that suits both new and experienced whisky drinkers.
The Glenlivet is owned by Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky arm of French drinks group Pernod Ricard.
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