Summer Duets - Today Glenfiddich


June 16, 2021

	Summer Duets Today Glenfiddich
	The Whisky Exchange in London (UK) just had another brainwave, composing some nifty, beautifully packaged and perfectly curated tasting sets that should please everyone, from beginners to even the most blasé enthusiasts such as this very one.

For example, I've got one on my tasting table that's named '20 Whiskies That Changed The World' and that gathers well-known drams that are always interesting either to discover, or to follow if you already know them well. I also believe they'll make for perfect gifts, especially since anything a little Victorian seems to have become extremely fashionable these days. At least in the UK! Anyway, we're more than happy to retry some of these famous expressions as parts of some 'Summer Duets', now that both the weather and our workload have become a little less favourable to longer, more excessive line-ups.

Let's kick this off with a little Glenfiddich, maybe not a brand that malt aficionados keep bearing in mind now that there's so much new 'craft' stuff everywhere in the world, including in Scotland. Now I'm not saying it is an endangered species, of course it isn't.

Glenfiddich 15 yo 'Our Solera Fifteen' (40%, OB, +/-2021)

Oh, no, I just noticed that I last tried this well-known expression in… 2010 (WF 78). 'Not really for malt freaks' had been my conclusion, but I'm not sure it was the same recipe, while the name was different as it used to be 'Solera Reserve'. I would believe they're now using more fresh or rejuvenated oak. Colour: gold. Nose: I'm brought back straight to the 1990s, when 'commercial' whiskies were softer and probably more barley-y, with less oak influence. Many kind or ripe or overripe apples and pears, which has always been very Glenfiddich, hints of kiwis and jelly babies, fruity hops (IPA), vanilla fudge, a few sultanas, and some well controlled oak. I'm starting to understand why TWE would have included this baby amongst their Twenty Whiskies etc. Mouth: fine but far from the nose, grittier, more on green teas, burnt bread, apple peelings, with a little sawdust, allspice, bitter caramel… All that with a rather thin body. Finish: short, rather on tea and cardboard, with a slightly yeasty aftertaste. Comments: I found the nose almost splendid, but I find the palate of the regular 12 brighter and simply superior. Still, a little progress within twelve years… The 40% vol. did not help either.
SGP:331 - 79 points.

Glenfiddich 14 yo 'Bourbon Barrel Reserve' (43%, OB, 2020)

Matured in bourbon but sadly, finished in virgin oak as it seems. Hope that didn't kill it. Some honourable distillers have started complaining as soon as we first wrote about 'the bourbonisation of Scotch', saying that it was pure codswallop. Well well well… By the way they were having a 14 'rich oak' a few years back, which I had enjoyed 'with moderation' (WF 79). Less oak is better whisky. Colour: pale gold. Nose: nice, fresh, fruity, on marshmallows and limoncello, with some custard, lemon curd… So very modern and indeed pretty nice, well-engineered. I suppose there's also been some heavier charring done at some point. Mouth: above the 15 as sure as 1+1=2. Some easy but very pleasant vanilla, ripe fruits, melons, apricots, mirabelles, earl grey tea, butterscotch, madeleine, and just Ovaltine. Contemporary wood technology well mastered, even if the whole isn't exactly rocking our world or bringing us to extasy. Finish: rather short but clean, on cider and vanilla, with some allspice. No cardboard. Comments: good work at a fair price, this one won't displease anybody.
SGP:441 - 82 points.

Check the index of all Glenfiddich we've tasted so far