Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky – 70cl

Product Information

Nose: A serious fruit blast at first. Mostly melons and apples -- I sense very little citrus. Settles down after a while into a mellow pound cake with a hint of smoke. The Glenfiddich 15 year old is just this sort of whisky, done with sherry, bourbon and new oak casks. This creates an interesting little whisky that contains notes from all of them. As the first single-malt scotch to use the solera method of blending, it’s noteworthy for how it’s made as well as how it tastes.

To clarify on the vatting process - since a whisky sold with an age statement must be representative of the youngest whisky in it, such is the case with the 15yo Solera too. My understanding is that nothing younger than 15 years of age goes into the solera vat; the vat serves to marry the old and newly added (15 yo) whiskies that go into it for a period of time before whisky is drawn for bottling. The finish is slightly bitter yet delicate and buttery, much like the nose. The sweet and salty essence of the finish is accentuated by mixed peppercorns and salted caramel. Grassiness is lingering and delicious, and it has a strong grip.If you prefer a sweet finish to your single malt whisky, we recommend the taste of the Glenfiddich 15-Year-Old Single Malt Whisky. This variation has a curiously complex aroma of sweet heather, honey and vanilla fudge, combined with rich dark fruits.

The positive note is that this was a bit better than Glenfiddich 12, probably because of the Portuguese touch? You can smell the sherry along with Orange. It tastes like it smells but delivers more. You get sweet, Christmas spice, Orange and rich sherry. This is a much more mature drink than the 12 and has much more complexity. The 12 was too simple and one dimensional and this does give you much more. Take it slow and you will be amazed at what you once thought undrinkable will suddenly become one of your favourites. That was my experience with peaty, smoky Islay style whiskies. I hated them until one day, after sitting down with a friend and some Ardbeg 10, I saw the light, or tasted it finally. Nose.. A lovely nose delivering typical sherry notes of candied oranges, dates and figs, a lovely fresh citrus aroma of orange, spices like cinnamon and ginger, honey and vanilla, all in one single bottle.. Palate: Light and yet complex. Citrus and sweet. Butterscotch, cinnamon, hint of smoke. Quite tasty.Finish: A warming slightly lingering finish, with spicy oak and pepper. Sweet vanilla, dark honey, and sherry intermingle as the finish subsides. Balance, Complexity: I like the balance of oak, perfume, and lemon grass. The hint of peat is nice but I wish it made a bigger appearance. The Scotch which is the focus of this review, the Glenfiddich 15 Year Old, has taken home a bevy of spirits awards, most notably at the San Francisco world spirits competition in the early 2000s. One of the most archetypal of all Scotch whiskies, Glenfiddich is certainly a behemoth. The prospect of reviewing such a whisky was intense, yet the process was delightful to say the least. Thin mouthfeel, indeed, for the standard 15 yo. Watery, actually. Give me the Glenfiddich 15 Distillery Edition, though, at 51.2% abv. There is an even shorter finish length on the last batch of DE than the standard 15, but otherwise it is stellar. That story intrigued me when friend and fellow Connosr member Darren Rook explained it to me from the stand at this years Whisky Live, and after sampling (and enjoying) the dram I bought myself a bottle! It has a reddish gold colour, and on the nose is a combination of sherry, spice, citrus fruits and warmth! It’s much the same when you taste the whisky, with a little more fruit in there, and a woody feeling.