It’s the single malt that was my dad’s absolute favourite. He would savour the moment, sipping it from one of his cut glass tumblers, just as it was, no ice, no water.
The extraordinary thing was that after decades, his son from a previous relationship found him. Young Bill he was called because though my dad’s name was Ron, his surname was Williams, and therefore, as a wartime spitfire pilot he was called Bill.
Young Bill was yonks older than us, and the spitting image of my dad, he even wore similar clothes, but would they bond? We were agog.
He sat down, Dad said,
‘Have a drink. What’s your favourite tipple?’
Sure enough, it was the same as Dad’s. So it’s all in the genes. All was well, I can still picture them both, running their forefingers down the glass – two peas in a pod. Sniffing the aroma, then relaxing, sipping, the shoulders going down. Time to catch up.
The pair of them are long gone, but my son is a chip off the old block – a great Glenlivet fan.
So to all you out there, looking for something special for Sunday 18th June, do consider this Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve. I’d buy it for my dad, to honour his parenting and guidance, not to mention sense of mischief.
In Gaelic, Glenlivet means ‘valley of the smooth-flowing one’ and whisky from Livet Valley has been known for exceptional quality since the 19th Century. The Glenlivet has created an expression to honour the original vision of its pioneering founder George Smith; The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve pays tribute to the uniquely smooth and fruity taste Smith first envisioned in 1824, but with a contemporary twist.
A few details with which to impress your dad: skilful selection of casks enhances the signature fruity flavours of The Glenlivet, while whisky taken from traditional oak casks is complemented by the selective use of American first-fill casks to give a hint of creamy sweetness. The result is a whisky with delicious aromas of citrus fruit and notes of oranges and pears and hints of toffee apples and candy, while the long, creamy, smooth finish makes this a deliciously satisfying dram.
Well, Dad wouldn’t know about that, but he knew what he liked, and so did Young Bill, so too my son. It will slip down a treat.
Go on, your dad deserves it, you know he does.
The Glenlivet, Founder’s Reserve is available RRP £34.15. Stockists include Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrisons, ASDA, www.thewhiskyexchange.com and all specialist retailers.
@TheGlenlivet
www.TheGlenlivet.com
* Milly Adams’ latest book, At long Last Love is published by Arrow on 15th June.