Spirit Name:
Rating:
|
Glenfiddich 15 Year Old
★★★★★
|
Score:
|
88/100
|
ABV:
|
40%
|
Region:
|
Speyside, Scotland
|
Body:
|
Medium
|
Intensity:
|
Light-medium
|
Texture:
|
Medium
|
Balance:
|
Heavenly
|
Best served:
|
Neat
|
Theme(s):
|
Warmth and gentleness, sliced citrus fruits dusted in cocoa with some
coffee notes overwhelmed by soft spicy oak
|
Tasting notes:
|
“Solera” is usually seen emblazoned on some Spanish style rums to
signify that aging has complied with the “solera” system. The Glenfiddich
Solera Vat “marries” whiskies that have been aged in three different casks:
sherry, bourbon and new oak. Always kept at least half full, the solera vat
has some whisky taken out of it that is then replaced with young spirit. The
result is the marriage of young and aged spirit to create something quite
different and interesting for the whisky world.
Nose: Like a gentle warm hug, the whisky embraces the
nose with dark chocolate coated raisin and licorice. Cutting through the
gentle oak is a sharp lemon essence that simply cannot contain itself as it
morphs into orange oat cake and vanilla fudge, but just as the whisky seems
to tire it shimmers with the bright sweetness of fresh pineapple and
spearmint confectionary.
Taste: There are some things in the whisky world that
just work, and the Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera is one of them! Soft and
warm on the palate, this whisky offers a surge dried citrus fruits dashed in
unsweetened cocoa powder as the sweetness of sultana begins to beam through
the appropriately dense spicy oak that radiates but does not pierce against
the palate. The flavours of coffee remain almost hidden in the oak, but they
are sweet almost like coffee flavoured confectionary. This is seriously
beautiful whisky that deserves close attention. It is wonderfully smooth and
hardly has any ripples at all; just smooth sailing and almost perfect
balance.
Finish: The dusting of cocoa on the citrus leaves a
resin-like, almost dusty, sensation on the palate that glows with oak charged
spiciness and a gentle fruity glow.
|
Likes:
|
Gentle warmth that hugs the nose and palate in a friendly embrace
|
Dislikes:
|
Far too mild mannered, I just wonder how much more delightful this
would be at 46%! Come on Glenfiddich!
|
Price:
|
$95 (Aus)
|
Spirit Type:
Rating:
|
Glenfiddich 18 Year Old
★★★★
|
Score:
|
84/100
|
ABV:
|
40%
|
Region:
|
Speyside, Scotland
|
Body:
|
Medium
|
Intensity:
|
Medium
|
Texture:
|
Medium
|
Balance:
|
Superb (sherry influence)
|
Best served:
|
Neat
|
Theme(s):
|
Big juicy sherry floods the stage, with some cocoa, vanilla and dried
fruit dancing softly on the stage of oak
|
Tasting notes:
|
Nose: Gentle on the nose, the presence of the Oloroso
sherry is clear as its sweetness appears to overwhelm the cocoa that cries
out from the depths of the oak as the bourbon influence releases some lovely
lush vanilla notes with some dried prune.
Taste: Unexciting on the palate, this whisky hits with a
surge of sherry sweetness that buzzes for a short while and then vanishes
into a weak flutter of honey glazed, almost grassy, dried paw paw.
Finish: The finish lingers for a long while, but it is
sweet as that sherry takes centre stage yet again.
|
Likes:
|
Soft, complex and boasts lots of layers
|
Dislikes:
|
Seems to be dominated by the sherry
|
Price:
|
$130 (Aus)
|
No comments:
Post a Comment