Is the Gordon and MacPhail-bottled Glenlivet worth it?

[Black Plague]

In the next month or so, I'll probably be stopping through Bloomington, IN where the Big Red Liquors store has an outstanding selection of Scotch, including lots of merchant bottlings from Signatory (picked up a Signatory-bottled, non-chill filtered Highland Park 14YO there last time that was outstanding), Gordon and MacPhail, and others.

One thing that stood out last time I was there was a Gordon and MacPhail merchant bottling of 15YO Glenlivet. The label looks something like this...

...though I understand there are a few different G&McP bottlings that have different colored labels for different proofs, I'm not sure if what I saw in the store was that one or a lower proof one.

According to the old 80's edition of Jackson's World Guide to Whisky, G&McP bottled green-labeled 40%, a blue-labeled 46%, and a red-labeled 57% (I have no clue if all of those are still bottled anymore, google hasn't been too helpful so far).

I do rather like the Glenlivet 12YO distillery bottling as a lighter whisky (though I rarely buy bottles of it, since every bar in America seems to stock it)

So, for you whisky aficionados who have tried these merchant bottlings, is the Gordon and MacPhail bottled Glenlivet worth it, or am I just better off buying the distillery-bottled 12YO or 15YO French Oak versions for the money?

Thanks in advance, guys!

 

[AVB]

I can't speak for that bottling but the majority of G&M bottlings I own have been equal or better then the official bottlings. Of course, not everyone has the same taste. I will tell you that you can't get the 114 proof G&M Glenlivet any longer so if you want it now is the time to buy it.

 

[Black Plague]

Thanks AVB! If it is, in fact, the red-labelled one they have, I'll definitely snatch one up! :thumbs:

 

[Black Plague]

They didn't have the red, but they did have the 46% abv 15YO blue labelled one, which I bought.

Just popped the cork on it and it is very nice! :thumbs: Tastes like all bourbon-cask (with a very light straw color to match). Lightly smoky, malty, very woody and dry, undertone of bourbon to it, almost like the Nadurra.