Glayva Whisky Liqueur (Likör)

Volume: 0.7 litres | Alcohol content: 35% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: Yes

Special Features:

Glayva combines a Scottish whisky base with Mediterranean mandarins, honey and spices. The recipe also includes almonds, cinnamon and star anise. This combination gives the liqueur a fruity sweetness and a spicy, herbal character, with a smooth, mouth-filling texture on the palate.

The liqueur has an alcohol content of 35% and comes in a bottle containing 0.7 litres, without gift packaging. Glayva can be enjoyed neat or over ice. In cocktails, it contributes its combination of citrus fruit, honey and spices.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: Ripe mandarins and honey lead the sweet, fruity nose. Behind them, fresh herbs emerge with notes of chervil and peppermint. Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves add to the aroma, alongside hints of toffee apples and plump raisins.
• Palate: Glayva feels smooth, velvety and mouth-filling on the palate. The sweetness of honey and mandarins is followed by almonds, cinnamon and herbs, along with a light coriander note. Toffee and orange zest also emerge, while nutmeg and cloves heighten the warming spice. Vanilla and honey-sweet nutty notes round out the flavour, while the Scotch whisky adds a pronounced malty accent.
• Finish: The medium-length finish remains sweet and spicy, with ripe mandarins lingering. Honey and spices leave a lasting warmth.

Distillery/Bottler:

Glayva was created in 1947 in Leith, Edinburgh's port district. Wine and whisky merchant Ronald Morrison developed a liqueur there for his customers. His trade contacts enabled him to select the malt whiskies he wanted, while ingredients such as Mediterranean mandarins, honey and spices came from nearby trading houses. The original recipe thus combined Scottish whisky with ingredients considered exotic at the time.

The brand name traces back to Morrison's warehouse worker Hector: after his first taste, he is said to have responded with the Gaelic expression “Glè mhath”, meaning “very good”. This became Glayva. The recipe has remained unchanged since its creation. Today, the brand belongs to Whyte & Mackay, which produces the liqueur.

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