Licensed Dram (700 ml)

The Glenlivet takes its name from the glen itself — a remote Livet valley in Ballindalloch, Speyside, where George Smith received the first legal distilling licence in Scotland in 1824, ending decades of illicit production in these hills. The Licensed Dram pays direct homage to that moment, positioned as the dram Smith could finally pour openly. Ballindalloch sits at roughly 230 metres elevation, drawing on soft, mineral-low spring water filtered through granite and limestone — conditions that historically produced the light, approachable Speyside house character that made the original distillery famous enough to force imitators to append "Glenlivet" to their own names. Bottled at cask strength without chill-filtration, the Licensed Dram preserves the full texture and natural oils that standard commercial bottlings strip away, delivering a more viscous mouthfeel and greater aromatic intensity than the core 12-Year expression. The absence of added colour keeps the spirit's natural hue intact. What distinguishes this expression within the Glenlivet range is the cask-strength presentation itself — rare for a distillery whose flagship lineup is built around approachability at standard ABV. Add water to taste to open the spirit progressively.