Flaviar Subscription Box Review – “Whisky Festivity”

Flaviar has been making subscription boxes of fine spirits for a long time, now, and their latest offering is just as fine as the one Tom wrote about in December. As Tom said himself, these boxes allow you to sample sprits before paying for full size bottles – but they also make a nice gift in their own right, as well as allowing a person to set up a respectable scotch tasting event for three or four people.

Hello Subscription Note: Before we let Thaddeus go into his review, there are updates to the Flaviar service you should know about. They recently updated their 5 bottle box to 3 (yet still continue to send out 5 bottle boxes to review). Flaviar has now updated to a quarterly membership for $60. You’ll receive one themed 3-bottle tasting box along with exclusive access to special release collections, private bottlings, live tasting events, industry insights and a vibrant community of like-minded individuals, as well as free shipping on anything in their store.

Flaviar really went above and beyond the call of duty by hiring Dave Broom, a world-renowned scotch enthusiast, to select the scotches for this themed product, called “Whisky Festivity.” I attended a scotch tasting hosted by Mr. Broom, and you can see his wit and breadth of knowledge in the pamphlet that describes the scotches, as well as in a second pamphlet that details how to hold a proper scotch tasting. The instructions are clear and simple, and are made to accommodate parties whether they be big or small. Every dram is delectable, and the makers of this subscription box thought long and hard about how to make the uninitiated experience scotch whiskey properly. In fact, if you know someone who is not a fan, this gift box may be exactly the right opportunity to show them the error of their ways.

The selection of single-malt scotches is exceptional: Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, and Laphroaig are widely-revered names, but Talisker and Auchentoshan are brands that the scotch enthusiasts I know have heard of, and yet not tried.

The spirits were all excellent by reputation. Where this curated sampler achieved a home run, then, was in both selection and in packaging. The subscription box itself is beautifully-designed, as my pictures show, protecting the 5 (five) 45mL bottles within. The second I opened the package, I couldn’t wait to sample the contents. It looks unquestionably cool.

The results were enjoyable, if less than perfect. For one thing, I thought the Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera Reserve was very satisfying. But one of my companions had actually loved that scotch in the past and commented that it lacked the sherry taste that was so distinctive to the brand. As such, he asked if it had perhaps been mislabeled. The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve lived up to expectations, and had pleasing hints of vanilla.

The 12 Year Old Auchentoshan was mellow, with a fair bit of sherry in its flavor. It opened up quite a lot with the addition of a drop of water. That left us with the Laphroaig Quarter Cask and Talisker Storm, both of which were pleasant enough even before we tried combining them with various cheeses, nuts, and crackers. While not all of these liquors lived up to what we had been prepared for, there was a good variety in scotch types and flavors, and we had a great time with the whole tasting experience. This was a fine excuse to catch up with old friends…

Even more than its monetary value, this stylish package allows people to sample a good selection of single malts, and I appreciate that it came with instruction to help us do exactly that. The last thing I should note is that Flaviar sent a 5-bottle sample to me, although they recently started releasing the subscription boxes as 3-bottle packages…

Visit Flaviar to subscribe or find out more!  Save $5 on your first tasting box or full-size bottle! Use coupon code  HIGHFIVE.