Glenfiddich Vintage Cask Collection Peated

”Wasted Time”

Whisky Review # 898

Country: Scotland
Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich Vintage Cask Collection - Peated Single Malt

Type: Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 40%
Maturation: European Sherry Wood & Bourbon casks married in Solera Vat # 3
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 100-130 (December 2020)
Price/Quality Ratio: 👎Too expensive for what it offers
Buying Advice: 😐 The Peat is nice but it's way too Thin on the Palate.

Colour:

Amber with shades of Orange (Artificially Colored)

Nose:

Nice balance between Peat, Sherry Wood and Bourbon casks. It's a bit on the Thin side caused of course by the low ABV. The good thing is that the Alcohol is hardly noticeable on the Nose. Main Drivers are Smoke, (Dried) Fruit and Earthy notes. All in all quite pleasant.

Main Aromas:

Malted Barley, Buttered Toast, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Pear, Apple, Straw and Grass, Orange Marmalade, Dairy and Cinnamon.
    
Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Honey, Dried Fruit like Raisins, Forest Floor, Dried Herbs, Fruit Cake, Yeast, Leather, Pork on the BBQ, Milk Chocolate, Dried Apricot and Pepper.

Palate:

A big disappointment after the agreeable Nose. It's way too Thin on the Palate and all the good work of the distillery in creating this Single Malt goes to waste. The subtle Smoke and Peat work well with the Fruity Glenfiddich Spirit but with this ABV it tastes more like a peated Fruit Juice than a Single Malt Whisky. I really hope that Glenfiddich will continue to experiment with peated Whisky but I urge them to give these special Single Malts a more adequate ABV of around 46% and a bit more of well-aged Whisky. Then we're really talking! I almost forgot to mention that it's mainly Sweet on the Palate. Flavor-wise it basically follows the Nose.

Main Flavours:

Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Apple, Pear, Orange Marmalade, Cinnamon, Ginger, Charred Oak and Floral notes.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Honey, Toffee, Dried Fruit like Raisins and Apricots, Milk Chocolate, Lemon, Yeast, Pork on the BBQ, Pepper, Leather, Tobacco and Dried Herbs.

 

Finish:

Middle-Long & mainly Sweet with a light Bitterness towards the end. It's quite Thin and the raw Alcohol is noticeable at this point. It's Medium-Dry in the aftertaste and I find a light Metallic off-note. I find Malted Barley, Salted Caramel, Vanilla, Toffee, Apple, Pear, Banana, Smoke, Earthy Peat, Floral notes, Yeast, Leather, Tobacco, Roasted Marshmallows, Honey, Cocoa, Pepper, Cinnamon, Licorice, Ginger and Charred Oak.

Drinking Advice:

No Need to add Water to this Glenfiddich. It's Thin enough as it is.

Rating: 84.5

Nose: 22.5 - Taste: 20.5 - Finish: 20.5 - Overall: 21

Drinking Experience Neat: Good Nose but too Thin on the Palate

Drinking Experience on the Rocks: Smooth and Very Nice.

Conclusion:

Glenfiddich was founded in Dufftown in 1886 by William Grant. It's one of the few distilleries that is still in the hands of the founder's family. In the year 1963 it became the first whisky that was marketed worldwide as a Single Malt. It was the first Single Malt to appear in the Travel Retail and Duty Free shops as well and the chance is huge that Glenfiddich was your first Single Malt. It was mine! It is also the first distillery that opened a visitor centre, back in 1969. The current core range consists of the 12, 15, 18, 21, 26, 30  and 40 years old. We visited the distillery in May 2014 and May 2019. Despite the large number of visitors they still do a good job on the Tours.

Following the success of the innovative Solera Vatting for the 15 Yr Solera Reserve, Glenfiddich has created three new Solera Vats. The Vintage Cask is the 3rd release in this series and all three are sold exclusively in Global Travel Retail. This vatting contains whiskies aged in either European Spanish sherry - or 1st fill Bourbon casks  using heavily peated whisky (25 ppm). That comprises around 50% of the vatting and as it is blended with other whiskies it's brought down to about 10-15 ppm in the glass. Glenfiddich Vintage Cask harks to the past, when the distillery's output was partly peated.

Sometimes it's not easy to be a Whisky fan these days. Take this Glenfiddich for example. You know this could be a great Single Malt if longer-matured Whisky and a more appropriate ABV would be applied. The price would suggest something like that to be possible. Instead we get a relatively Young, not fully-matured Whisky that is bottled at the absolute legal minimum of 40%. Does that make sense? No! You're just paying way too much for a Young, Thin Whisky that comes in a nice bottle and fancy box. It's such a pity, the more so as the Glenfiddich Spirit and Peat combine well as can be ascertained on the Nose. So I would really like to ask the distillery to consider making a fully-matured peated Single Malt bottled at 46%. I am sure it would please many Whisky fans all around the world! As it is today I can't recommend this Single Malt at this price level.

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 December 30, 2020

All pictures were taken during our visit in May 2019

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I would like to Wish all my readers and whisky fans all over the world a better, healthier and more recognizable 2021. Because 2020 really sucked! Big Time! Stay Healthy and enjoy your Whisky in a safe way! Cheers, Jan.

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Glenfiddich Fire & Cane Review

Whisky Review # 800

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich Fire & Cane

Type: Single Malt Whisky
Age: NAS

Alcohol By Volume (ABV): 43%
Maturation: Bourbon Casks with Rum Cask Finish 
Chill Filtration: Yes
Price Range: US$ 45-55 (February 2019)
Sample provided by: Mauricio from Brazil. Many Thanks!
Buying Advice: 😐Nice Experiment. Suffers from low ABV. P/Q ratio: Okay

Colour:

Light Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose:

I never had a peated Glenfiddich before so I was curious! The Earthy Peat and Smoke from a Distant Fire are present but in a mellow kind of way. The rest is basically Malt and Fruit with a little Oak in the background. I don't think Fire and Cane was finished for a long time in Rum casks as its influence is limited. The Nose is not unpleasant but makes a Thin & slightly Watered-Down impression. 

Main Aromas:

Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Peat and Smoke, Toffee, Salted Caramel, Green Apple, Pear, Grapes, Orange, Lemon, Oak-Char, Cinnamon and Mint.

Supportive Aroma Accents:

Toffee, Pineapple-Flavoured Candies, Grapefruit, Banana, Floral Soap, Powdered Sugar, Pepper and Cloves.

Palate:

The idea of this Single malt is not bad. It's a quite pleasant combination of Peat, Smoke and Sweet Orchard Fruit. However, the Palate also suffers on account of the insufficient ABV. It's simply too Thin to really convince. There's potential here but it needs a face-lift.

Main Flavours:

Barley Sugar, Smoke/Peat, Salted Caramel, Grass, Powder Sugar, Green Apples, Pear, White Grapes, Orange, Oak Char, Cinnamon, Pepper and Mint.

Supportive Flavour Accents:

Butterscotch, Toffee, Heather-Honey, Lemon, Floral Soap, Menthol Cigarettes, Ginger, Nutmeg and Cloves.

Finish:

On the Short side. The ABV does not sufficiently carry the Spirit. The Finish is Sweet with a light Bitterness towards the end. I find Barley Sugar, Sweet Peat, Smoke from a Distant Fire, light Soot and Ashes, Oak Char, Salted Caramel, Green Apple, Pear, White Grapes, Citrus, Grass, Floral Soap, Cinnamon, Cloves, Pepper, Menthol and Cocoa Powder.

Drinking Advice:

Fire & Cane does not improve with added Water although the Nose gets extra Fruit. Palate and Finish become too Thin though.

Rating: 85

Nose: 21.5 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 21 - Overall: 21.5

Drinking Experience:

Good but too Thin.

Conclusion:

Glenfiddich was founded in Dufftown in 1886 by William Grant. It's one of the few distilleries that is still in the hands of the founder's family. In the year 1963 it became the first whisky that was marketed worldwide as a Single Malt. It was the first Single Malt to appear in the Travel Retail/Duty Free shops as well and the chance is very big that Glenfiddich was your first Single Malt. It was mine anyhow. It is also the first distillery that opened a visitor centre, back in 1969. The current core range consists of the 12, 15, 18, 21, 26, 30  and 40 years old.

In 2016 the distillery launched The Experimental Series with the Project XX and The IPA Experiment. Winter Storm was the third released in 2017 followed last year by Fire & Cane. The Fire & Cane is a marriage between Peated (8ppm) and Unpeated Glenfiddich Spirit that was firstly matured in Ex-Bourbon casks before receiving a Finish in Latin-America Rum Casks. The name refers to the Peat (Fire) and the Rum (Cane).

First of all I would like to congratulate Glenfiddich on the Experiment Series. It is always commendable to try out new combinations. In the case of the Fire and Cane I find that the Fruity Glenfiddich Spirit is enhanced by the light Peat. I just think it needs more Fire (Higher ABV) and more Cane (A longer Rum-Finish). As it is, it's a bit too Thin and Weak to fully convince!

Cheers!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 February 5, 2018

Glenfiddich 18 Years Review

“The Black Sheep of the Family”

Country: Scotland

Region: Highland/Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich 

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: 18 Years ("Old" Version)

ABV: 40 %
Chill-Filtration: Yes 
Whisky Review # 566

Colour: Golden Amber (Artificially Coloured)

Nose: Pleasant but not very intriguing. There is some Sherry influence but it's all a bit quiet and underwhelming. The Alcohol is noticeable but not in a very annoying way. In fact, the ABV is certainly inadequate for an 18 Years old Malt. I find Toasted Barley, slightly Burnt Buttered Toast, Mixed Dried Fruits and Nuts with Raisins and Hazelnuts in the lead, light Honey, Brown Sugar, Toffee, Salt, Pear Drops, White Grape, Sweet Apple, Grass, Straw, Wood Shavings, Herbs, light Vanilla, Cinnamon, light Ginger, Citrus and hints of Peach Jam and Mint. It's Sweet but not overly so. It's an okay Nose for Whisky Newbies but there's not much adventure to be had for the more experienced fans. Despite the bits and pieces of Aromas that I find, there's a bit of a Tired Refill cask feeling to the Glenfiddich 18 years.    

Palate: Quite Sweet but certainly too Thin. The ABV is absolutely inadequate for this Single Malt. The Oak is much clearer now. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, assorted Nuts and Dried Fruits with Raisins and Almonds leading the way, light Honey, Orange Peel, light Vanilla, Sweet Apples, Pear Drops, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger, light Licorice and hints of Dark Chocolate and Espresso.  

Finish: Short, Medium-Sweet and on the Thin side. The Oak, Herbs and Spices are much more present now. I find Toasted Barley, Toffee, Rum-Soaked Raisin, light Vanilla, light Honey, assorted Nuts, Oak, Orange Peel, Dried Herbs, Pepper, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, light Licorice, light Mint and hints of Tea and Cocoa Powder.

I added a little water and I get some extra Floral notes on the Nose. Both on the Nose and on the Palate I find a little Strawberry Jam as well. Remarkably, the added Water doesn't kill this Malt despite the low ABV. You can experiment with a few drops at a time.

Rating: 83  

Nose: 21 - Taste: 21 - Finish: 20 - Overall: 21

General Remarks: The Glenfiddich (Gaelic for Valley of the Deer) Distillery was founded in 1886 by William Grant. It's still owned by the Grant Family today and Glenfiddich is the world's best selling Single Malt. The standard distillery range consists of the 12, 15 and 18 Years. The 18 Years expression matures in a mix of Ex-Sherry and Ex-Bourbon casks. Recently, Glenfiddich introduced the 18 Years Small Batch Reserve. I'm not sure if there is a real difference between the two except for the packaging and bottle. Both are being married for a short time in small batches before bottling. I will try to get a sample of the Reserve as soon as possible to be able to compare the two. The "Old" 18 costs between 60 and 100 US Dollars depending on where you live. The average price is around 85 US Dollars (October 2016).

Drinking Experience Neat: Good and dangerously drinkable but not very exciting. 

Conclusion: The Glenfiddich 18 Years is a nice entry Malt for beginning Whisky drinkers but more experienced fans will be rapidly bored by this Malt. It's all a bit tired and predictable. In fact I question the necessity of this expression as it isn't an improvement over the 15 years. Maybe that's in fact the reason that the Distillery decided to introduce the new 18 Years Small Batch Reserve. I really must try to get a sample of this "New" 18 years expression. Let's hope the distillery did a good job in revitalising their 18 years Single Malt. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Because the "Old" 18 Years is a bit of a Black Sheep in the Glenfiddich Family!

Jan van den Ende                                                                 October 13, 2016

Glenfiddich May 2014

Glenfiddich Select Cask Review

“Boring NAS Expression”

Country: Scotland

Region: Speyside

Brand: Glenfiddich Select Cask (Cask Collection)

Type: Single Malt Whisky

Age: NAS

ABV: 40 %

Colour: Light Amber

Nose: Young, Malty, Fruity and Sweet with Barley Sugar, Nuts, Buttered Toast, Dried Fruits, Vanilla, Toffee, Hay, light Sherry, light Honey, Toasted Oak, Apple, Pear, Berries, Orange - and Lemon Zest, light Spices and a hint of Milky Way bars. Some Floral tones after a while. The Alcohol is not fully integrated. It's not bad but although it does show some Aromas, I find it quite boring.   

Palate: Light, Young and Sweet with Apple, Pear, Berries, Malt, Lemon Zest, Toffee, Vanilla, Brown Sugar, Hay, light Honey, Raisins, Pepper, Cinnamon, Oak and Nutmeg.

Finish: On the short side with Vanilla, Toffee, Buttered Toast, Nuts, Dried Fruits, Orange- and Lemon Zest, Berries, Oak, Pepper, Cinnamon and a little Menthol.

The Glenfiddich Girls at the Reception in May 2014

I added a couple of drops of water and you get more Malt and Orchard Fruit on the Nose. It becomes Clean and Crisp, not unlike the 12 Years. But Palate and Finish do not accept the added Water very well. You can add some Water for Nosing purposes but better sip it Neat.

Rating: 81 

Nose: 21 - Taste: 20 - Finish: 19.5 - Overall: 20.5

Glenfiddich in May 2014 during our Short Visit

General Remarks: The Glenfiddich (Gaelic for Valley of the Deer) Distillery was founded in 1886 by William Grant and is located in Dufftown. It's still owned by the Grant Family today and Glenfiddich is the world's best selling Single Malt. In 2013 the Distillery launched its first NAS Series. The "Cask Selection" consists of three Single Malts, all of them exclusively available in Global Travel Retail. They are the Select Cask, the Reserve Cask and the Vintage Cask. To create the Select Cask, the current Malt Master Brian Kinsman selected special casks (Ex-Bourbon, Ex-Sherry and Ex Red Wine) and married those casks in the famous Glenfiddich Solera Vat. The Select Cask costs around 50 US Dollars (2015) 

Drinking Experience Neat: Good 

Conclusion: You might argue that this Glenfiddich starts on the wrong foot. It's NAS and Travel Retail only. Not necessarily a guarantee for Top Notch Quality Single Malt. And indeed I have to admit that I'm not impressed with the Select Cask. When I make a comparison between the standard 12 Years and the Select Cask, I find the 12 Years Simple but also Crisp, Clean and Fruity. The Select Cask has the signature Pear as well but otherwise smells and tastes a bit young but already tired at the same time. It's not bad but awfully boring. I can not really recommend this. Better stay with the 12 Years!    

Jan van den Ende                                                             January 30, 2015