First pour: Ultra rare The Glenlivet 56 Year Old whisky – it’s not just the price tag that’s rich

The Glenlivet has released the second chapter in its ultra-luxury Eternal Collection, a 56 Year Old single malt limited to just 60 bottles worldwide. The expression represents one of the oldest whiskies ever to emerge from the lauded Speyside distillery, and it’s also one of the most expensive, at €52,500 a bottle.

This release follows on from the unveiling of The Glenlivet Eternal Collection, Second Edition, 56 Year Old, One of One earlier this year; a one-off creation crafted for the Sotheby’s Finest & Rarest Whisky auction. That bottle and sculpture sold for £75,000.

The Eternal Collection debuted in 2024 with The Glenlivet 55 Year Old, a collaboration with computational architect Michael Hansmeyer.

The Luxe Review was invited to Somerset House in London for an exclusive preview tasting of this latest rarity.

Meticulously nurtured over five decades, The Glenlivet’s team of cask experts opted to craft a singular bespoke sherry cask to further distinguish the liquid.

The bespoke sherry cask was constructed in Spain, and seasoned with a unique blend of Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez and Palo Cortado for a year, before being brought to Speyside. Into this cask went whisky already more than half a century old, where it was left to finish for three further years.

The result is a single malt with a vibrant, fruity nature that’s gloriously rich and indulgent. 

Meticulously nurtured over five decades, The Glenlivet’s team of cask experts opted to craft a singular bespoke sherry cask to complement the whisky…

The Glenlivet 56 Year Old Eternal Collection tasting notes 

At Somerset House, I had the chance to experience the Eternal Collection 56 Year Old Second Edition, side by side with The Glenlivet 21 and 25 Year Old bottlings (premium whiskies in their own right), as well as a a bonus slug of the original sherry used in its aging process.

Where those two benchmark expressions show layers of orchard fruit, honeyed malt and measured oak, the 56 Year Old takes those familiar markers and stretches them into deeper, richer territory.

Our tasting was conducted by Kevin Balmforth, The Glenlivet Cask Master.

The ultra-luxury, high-aged single malt has been bottled at 42.6% ABV.

The 56 Year Old is best thought of as a sensory adventure. The nose is profoundly fruity. Red apples, stewed plums, orange zest, and honey, jostle with chocolate and toffee. It’s quite the heady bouquet. 

On the palate, the 56 Year Old is juicy and plump, with warming notes of baked Bramleys, bananas and spice; vanilla, raisins and toasty notes get look in too. These ingredients compete for prominence the longer the liquid sits in the glass.

And yes, it’s blissfully smooth.

“The flavours are very intense,” said Balmforth.”You only need a very small amount in the glass. You can’t drink it like a normal whiskey. The flavours are just too intense, too powerful. I would never add ice to this – that just wouldn’t work with a whisky like this.”

The older a whisky gets, the balance of the flavours becomes more and more delicate, he explained.

Innovative sculpture design

An extraordinary whisky demands an extraordinary presentation. For this landmark release, The Glenlivet partnered with avant-garde design studio Fredrikson Stallard, whose dramatic sculpture evokes scorched heather branches rising from a weathered cairn, a nod to Speyside’s rugged terrain and the passage of time.

Created with 3D scanning technology able to manipulate and mirror elements from the Scottish terroir, the sculpture is integral to the character of the release.

The spherical glass vessel sits upon a brass-plated base shaped like a cairn, its neck and cap finished in 24k gold and embellished with teal-coloured, faceted glass.

The Glenlivet Eternal Collection, Second Edition 56 Year Old, is available globally priced at €52,500. Only 60 bottles are being released.