Speyside

Glenfiddich 15 Year

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 15 Years Old
40% ABV/80 Proof
$40 to $50
Available worldwide
Website

What the Distillery Says:
At fifteen years, rich fruit and notes of spice pervade this characterful single malt. Made using a process unique amongst Scotch whisky distillers it is matured in three types of oak cask: sherry, bourbon, and new oak before being married in our unique Solera vat. This vat is always kept at least half full creating a whisky with deliciously harmonious flavors.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Pears jump out at me followed by pine resin and hard apple cider.
Palate: Very smooth and woody. It’s almost too smooth. I don’t get a lot of defining characteristics.
Finish: Crisp, dry, and very short.
Comments: I would recommend this to fans of Johnnie Walker Gold looking to switch to single malts and save some coin. I find this rather bland. If you’re a new scotch drinker and can’t handle this then scotch may not be for you. There’s a little more to it than the 12 year old but nothing that really makes me want to keep it around.
Rating: Average

Glenfiddich 15 Year Read More »

Balvenie Golden Cask

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside /

The Balvenie Golden Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years
47.5% ABV/95 Proof
$60 to $65
Travel Retail Exclusive
Website

What the Distillery Says:
“characterised by fruity sweetness and subtle spice”

In the crafting of GoldenCask, Balvenie is carefully aged for many years in traditional oak whisky casks and then transferred into barrels that had previously held golden Caribbean rum for a final period of maturation.

Characterised by fruity sweetness and subtle spice, The Balvenie GoldenCask is only available in Duty Free and is non chill-filtered and bottled at a strength of 47.5% abv.

NOSE: Light and fruity with notes of vanilla and honey. Delicate layers of orange and subtle flora add complexity.
TASTE: Sweet and spicy with a beautiful syrupiness. Chocolate orange and vanilla oak combine with hints of aniseed and liquorice.
FINISH: Long, dry and oaky.

What Richard Says:
Nose: Very light with lots of creamy honey fruit notes that remind me of cognac. Maybe scotch + rum = cognac? (I’m kidding!)
Palate: There is just a hint of sweetness. I’m mostly picking up a spicy smokiness. That’s not really what I expected from a rum cask finished scotch.
Finish: The finish is long with lots of smoky oak.
Comments: I don’t get out of the country too much. I’m not the international man of mystery the internet would lead you to believe. When I do I try to look for travel retail bottlings. A lot of them really are nothing special but I’m sucked in by the exclusivity of only being able to buy them in travel retail. This particular bottling is nice. I enjoy it from time to time but I was really hoping for a little more sweetness. Something closer to the Havana Reserve Glenfiddich 21 Year Old. I would’ve recommended that you pick up a bottle last year but with the new 14 Year old Caribbean Rum Cask as part of their standard line I’m not so sure anymore. I’ll have to grab a bottle and do a side by side to see if this is really just the same thing with 4.5% extra alcohol.
Rating: Stands Out

Balvenie Golden Cask Read More »

Balvenie Doublewood

/ / Review, Scottish Whisky, Speyside / ,

The Balvenie Doublewood Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years
43% ABV
$37 to $42
Widely available around the world
Website

What the Distillery Says:
“characterised by rich honey sweetness and a delicate layer of sherry”

The Balvenie DoubleWood is a 12 year old single malt which gains its distinctive character from being matured in two woods. Over its period of maturation it is transferred from a traditional oak whisky cask to a first fill European oak sherry cask. Each stage lends different qualities to the resulting single malt ~ the traditional casks soften and add character, whilst the sherry wood brings depth and fullness of flavour.

NOSE: Sweet fruit and Oloroso sherry notes, layered with honey and vanilla.
TASTE: Smooth and mellow with beautifully combined flavours ~ nutty sweetness, cinnamon spiciness and a delicately proportioned layer of sherry.
FINISH: Long and warming.

What Richard Says:
Nose: I get a lot of honey and fruity notes but somehow I’m missing the vanilla and sherry.
Palate: Very smooth. Sweet at the start and then it settles into notes of oak, oranges, and hazelnuts.
Finish: The finish is as smooth at the palate and very warm. It’s a little more tart and bitter on the finish though.
Comments: I really like this particular dram, especially under the $40 price point. I think it’s a great value dram and shows great craftsmanship coming out of William Grant & Sons.
Rating: Stands Out, Great Value

Balvenie Doublewood Read More »