As an Islay malt enthusiast, I tend to steer clear of the sweeter, often more mellow Scotches (Glenfiddich is a Speyside Scotch) distilled outside of that beautiful, peaty, smoky, sea-salt-y region, but in the interest of remaining well rounded, and out of curiosity, it yet behooves me to keep an open mind and continue tasting as many different single malt expressions as possible.
I had tried the 12 year and 15 year (Solera Vat) expressions from Glenfiddich before, but at that time was not in the habit of reviewing whiskies as I am now, nor was I really parsing the flavors and enjoying the full experience. Because of this, I am diving in once again!
Let's do it.
Nose.
Brown sugar. Caramel. Toffee. Stewed Apricots. Baked fruits. Old book bindings/glue. Rich toffee, toasted marshmallows, honey and strong cinnamon appear.
Mouth.
Stewed apricots. Vanilla. Spices. Cinnamon. Pepper. Blackened fish. A strangely bitter, yet richly sweet combination. Caramel. Rye bread.
Finish.
Sweet stewed fruits flash away to leave an astringent vinaigrette, rye, bold black pepper, cinnamon, spices, and oak oils.
Final Rating: 3.4 / 5 Stars
My rating of this single malt, keep in mind, does not necessarily reflect its "true quality" but is, of course in large part, a reflection of my personal preferences.
The mouthfeel on this malt is a bit harsh compared to the 15 year, and I don't find it to be particularly enticing. That said, the unique "book glue" nature of Glenfiddich is indeed interesting and perhaps a nice complement to the more peaty, smoky expressions I prefer. It is mellow. It is like entering your grandfather's study and diving in to an old tome.
Anyway, that's all for now, Malt-heads!
Until next time....
Peace!
~KafkA
(Thanks for stopping by. If you missed my last malts review, of the Nikka Miyagikyo Single Malt, you can find it here.)
~KafkA
Graham Smith is a Voluntaryist activist, creator, and peaceful parent residing in Niigata City, Japan. Graham runs the "Voluntary Japan" online initiative with a presence here on Steem, as well as Facebook and Twitter. (Hit me up so I can stop talking about myself in the third person.)
Just catching up on some older malt whisky posts. Not a fan of Glenfiddich until you get into the older stuff. Had a brilliant 26 year old recently fully matured in a red wine cask, absolutely stunning. I find that I am steering clear of the standard distillery offerings now. 40 or 43% just seems too watered down for my palate.
26 year old Fiddich. Sounds delightful. It's funny, but the moment I saw your comments I was on my way to buy another bottle for a new review, as it had been awhile. Serendipitous timing, and from a fellow Graham, no less!
You sound like my kind of guy. Name's not half bad, either ;)
Hi Graham, I agree with your note: Glenfiddich was the first single malt on the open market and is today one of the most industrial, high-volume single malts out there. As a result, I've always found the 12 YO a little boring and watery, albeit better than most cheap blends...